Court remands Crime Alert boss over N35m fraud

A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State has remanded the chief executive of the Crime Alert Security Network Investment, Olaniyan Gbenga Amos, at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Abolongo, over an alleged N35 million fraud.

Ibadan zonal command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on Monday arraigned Amos and his company, Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited, before Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan.

The commission’s head of media and publicity, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said the Amos his company were arraigned on a 35-count charge bordering on conspiracy, operating business of other financial institutions and obtaining money under false pretense to the tune of N35 million.

Amos was arrested following petitions by victims who alleged that he induced them to invest in a network scheme that promised a monthly return of 30 per cent on investment.

One of the counts reads: “That you Olaniyan Gbenga Amos and Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited between August, 2019 and May, 2021 at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without license, operate business of other financial institutions and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 58(1) and punishable under Section 59(6) (a and b) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, Cap B3 Laws of the Federation Nigeria, 2004.”

Another count reads: “That you Olaniyan Gbenga Amos and Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited on or about 29th of September, 2020, at Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N15 million only from Fadipe Babajide Ayorinde, when you falsely represented to him that the money is meant for registration and investment with Crime Alert Security Network with a promise of 30 per cent return on investment in 6 weeks, which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (I)(a) and punishable under Section (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2016.”