The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought charges against a 56-year-old car dealer, Rasaq Abolaji Mumini, and an accomplice for their involvement in a property fraud amounting to N13.5 million.
Mumini and Mrs. Lawal Olawande Mariam were arraigned before Justice Kamorudeen Olawoyin of the Oyo State High Court in Ogbomosho on Monday, February 5, 2024. They face allegations of selling a forfeited property without authorization and obtaining money under false pretenses.
The defendants are accused of selling a four-bedroom apartment located at Dubere in Ogbomosho, Surulere Local Government Area of Oyo State, which was under attachment by the EFCC, without lawful authorization.
According to the charge sheet, Mumini, Mariam, and others still at large allegedly sold the property to Mrs. Felicia Adeyemi in December 2022 for N13.5 million, despite it being subject to EFCC attachment. This act contravenes Section 32 (1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.
Investigations revealed that Mariam, the second defendant and wife of the property owner, sought Mumini’s assistance through a mutual acquaintance to remove EFCC markings from the property. The EFCC had marked the apartment after discovering it was purchased with proceeds from unlawful activities.
Further investigations uncovered that Mumini obtained N3.05 million from Mariam under false pretenses, claiming it was required to remove the EFCC markings from the property.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, leading to their remand in EFCC custody. The court scheduled the hearing for their bail applications for Monday, February 12, 2024.
