By Steve Oni, Ilorin
Precisely five months after the arraignment of a self acclaimed herbalist, Jamiu Isiaka, who allegedly defrauded a Korean National, Keun Sig Kim, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has finally closed its case against the defendant.
The Ilorin Zonal Office of the EFCC had on the 11th of June 2019 arraigned Isiaka before Justice Mahmood Abdulgafar of a Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin on a six count charge bordering on fraud and obtaining money under false pretence.
The self acclaimed herbalist was accused of obtaining the sum of N30m from his victim under the pretence of helping him to secure a licence from the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Office of the Group General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Count one of the charge stated: “That you, Jamiu Isiaka (a.k.a Femi Adeshina ) between the month of April and September 2018 in Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the total sum of eighty eight thousand, five hundred and twenty one dollars, forty one cents from a Korean national named; Keun Sig Kim by false pretences that the money was for the procurement of NNPC approval/marketing form and license certificate to buy crude oil in Nigeria, facts which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 of the advance fee fraud and other fraud related offences act, 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.”
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Wednesday, the EFCC presented its second prosecution’s witness, Barrister John George Itodo, who is the counsel to the complainant in the matter.
Itodo in his evidence in Chief told the Presiding Judge that: “My Lord, sometime in 2018, my client called me that he entered into a transactions with persons parading themselves as group Managing Director of NNPC, Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adeshina, the National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mrs Amina Zakari among others, it appears to him he was dealing with fraudsters, I advised him to forward the documents to me which he did, I then wrote a petition to the EFCC on his behalf.
“My Lord, my client is actually in a bad situation now, he has spent all his monies on this project.”
Answering further questions during cross examination, the witness said: “My Lord, the Notification letter written by these fraudsters instructed my client to pay the fee into the account of the Treasurer, Jamiu Isiaka.”
After the testimonies of the witness, Counsel to the EFCC, O.B Akinsola told the Presiding Judge that the prosecution has closed its case with testimonies of the witness.
Justice Abdulgafar however adjourned till 21st November 2019 for the accused Person to open his defence.
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