The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ilorin Zonal Office, has arrested three legal practitioners for allegedly defrauding a pastor, Adetunji Adedoyin, of his property valued at about twenty million naira.
The suspects, Salman Rafiu, Sulyman Abaya and Saka Hammad, were arrested after a petition by Adedoyin, while Olarewaju Aluko and Mr Na’ Allah Suyuti are still at large.
The petitioner alleged that the suspects fraudulently obtained a Court Order through a false representation and sold the property without his consent or briefing them to defend him in the legal proceedings which they instituted.
He said: “I was informed that I was served summons all through the court proceedings whereas it was R.A Salman who picked and arranged his colleagues, Abaya Sulyman and Saka Hammed to stand for me and these lawyers forged my signature on some documents purporting to consent in court to the sale of my hostel.
“The truth of the matter is: I never set my eyes on these people prior to or during the court proceedings, neither did I participate directly or indirectly in the proceedings. I also was not aware of the proceedings from the beginning to the end.”
“Earlier in 2016, after seeking advice on what to do, I engaged a lawyer, Victor Okojie, in Ilorin to pursue Justice for me because all attempts I made failed. Victor Okojie later linked me with the buyer Mr Na’ Allah and the buyer’s lawyer, Ayodele Aluko Olarewaju. The buyer felt my pain and explained that he has expanded about 12.5 million for the acquisition of my property, he said he was willing to release it only if I can pay back the money.”
The petitioner further explained that he was able to pay the sum of N4.2million to the buyer’s account in order to recover the stolen property which they released for him then.
“The hostel was taken over again in March 2019 by the alleged buyer, Mr Na’ Allah, through his lawyer, Aluko Olarewaju, on the ground that I have not paid the outstanding balance.”
The suspects had reportedly denied all the allegations against them when the operatives of the EFCC confronted them with some forged documents which they claimed emanated from the petitioner.
The principal suspect in the case, Barrister Salman Rafiu, was shown an affidavit prepared by them and purportedly signed by the petitioner.
Meanwhile, EFCC operatives have launched a manhunt to arrest other indicted suspects.