Operatives of the Lagos Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested two self-acclaimed spiritualists, one Alfa Abiodun Ibrahim and Wale Adifala, who along with one Ifawole Ajibola (aka Baba Kalifa currently on the run), allegedly conspired to defraud an aspiring House of Representatives member in Ekiti State.
The suspects were accused of defrauding their victim of the total sum of N24,071,000 which they claimed were to be used to secure spiritual help for his political ambition.
They were arrested on July 7, 2022, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, following a petition against them, alleging that after collecting the said sum, the whole effort came to a dead end.
This was disclosed by the EFCC in a statement on its Facebook page on Tuesday.
“Under interrogation by operatives, Adifala, admitted to collecting the sums of money from their victim, including N2.9 million, which he claimed was used to buy black, brown, and white cows, rams, lavender perfume, and rings among other items, to carry out sacrifices at different times,” the Commission said.
The anti-graft agency quoted Adifala to have said, “I also linked up on the matter with Ifawole Ajibola, and we continued with the sacrifices together, until we were arrested by EFCC.”
Also, Ibrahim, who was said to have prior contact with the victim, admitted to collecting money at different times from the victim.
According to the EFCC, Ibrahim confessed, “Our own is just to pray and do the necessary sacrifices, which we did, and to leave the rest to God, however, along the line, the zoning for the Reps seat was taken away from Oye-Ekiti to Ikole-Ekiti.”
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They were arrested along with some of their instruments of trade.
Meanwhile, the Benin Zonal Command of EFCC on July 25, 2022, secured the conviction of one Samson Shakore before Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of Edo State High Court, Benin City, Edo State.
Shakore was arraigned on one count charge of retaining the proceeds of illegal conduct.
The charge against him reads, “that you, Samson Shakore sometime between 1st January, 2018 to 31st December 2018 in Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did retain the aggregate sum of Ninety-four Million, Fifty-five Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty-one Naira ( N94,055,941.00) in your Zenith bank account no: 100592587 knowing that same represent proceeds of your criminal conduct to wit: cybercrime and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17 (a) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment ) Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 17 (b) of the same Act.”
Upon arraignment, the defendant pleaded guilty to the charge prompting the prosecution counsel, I.K.Agwai, to ask the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.
Justice Ikponmwonba in his ruling convicted and sentenced Shakore to three years imprisonment with an option oN300.000 fine.
The judge also ordered that the sum of N366,925.74 being balance in his Zenith bank account be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria and that the account be closed.
The defendant is also to undertake in writing to be of good behaviour henceforth.
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