Lukman Olabiyi, Lagos
Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has fixed October 6 to hear no-case submissions in the case of a Nollywood producer, Olajide Kareem, alias Seun Egbegbe, who is on trial for a series of alleged frauds.
Egbegbe, a Nollywood filmmaker, is accused of scamming no fewer than 30 Bureau De Change (BDC) operators in Lagos of various sums both in local and foreign currencies between 2015 and 2017.
The police alleged that the accused swindled his victims of various amounts, ranging from N39, 098,100 to $90,000 and £12,550.
According to the police, Egbegbe allegedly defrauded the BDC operators mostly by falsely representing to the victims that he had foreign currencies to sell to or buy from them.
He is facing 40 counts alongside his alleged accomplices – Oyekan Ayomide, Lawal Kareem, Olalekan Yusuf and Muyideen Shoyombo.
He was first arraigned before the court in February 2017.
The accused was granted N5 millions bail by the court but could not perfect it which him to still be in prison custody since then.
The police had assembled no fewer than 30 BDC operators to testify in the case.
Following the close of the prosecution’s case, all the defendants, except Egbegbe, who is having difficulty paying legal fees, filed no-case submissions.
They contended that the police prosecutor, Innocent Anyigor, failed to establish a prima facie case or prove the charges against them.
They are praying the court to dismiss the charges and set them free.
But their no-case submissions have been opposed by the police.
Justice Oguntoyinbo fixed October 6 to take arguments on the no-case submissions.