$87m Theft Case
OpenLife Nigeria reports that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, May 14th, 2024 adjourned the hearing of Abayomi Oluwasesan and his wife who have been charged by the IGP Kayode Egbetokun for alleged gaining access to several millions of investors funds ($87m) of Afriq Arbitrage System, an online financial trading platform.
Although the matter was mentioned for hearing, the trial could not go on because of the absence of the defendant lawyer.
The prosecutor Sidi Abdulrasheed reported to the court that the lawyer holding brief for the suspect sent a letter requesting for an adjournment due to an emergency trip outside his jurisdiction.
Sidi complained that three of the four witnesses billed to testify came from Lagos and expenses were incurred.
He revealed that at the last sitting, the hearing could not be held because the defendant’s lawyer was also absent on the pretext of illness.
He therefore urged the court to bill the defendants 500k each for flight of the witnesses.
In his response, Justice MS Idris appealed to the prosecutor to consider the defendants’ plea for an adjournment and consequently adjourned the case to June 10th and 11th, 2024, and the suspects were sent back to Suleja correctional centre.
Meanwhile, several angry investors who witnessed the proceeding expressed their anger at Abayomi. Counsel for the company, Barrister Obeten calmed their nerves and assured them justice will be served in court.
It would be recalled that Abayomi Segun Oluwasesan who allegedly committed the crime of defrauding the leading global crypto space known as Afriq Arbitrage System was re-arrested alongside his wife and arraigned in FCT High court, Jabi in Abuja on March 28th, 2024.
Abayomi and his wife were tracked to an estate in Lagos and brought back to Abuja on Sunday, March 24th, 2024 over the lingering financial scam to the tune of 87 million dollar and criminal activities he perpetrated against AAS and the CEO, Jesam Micheal.
The accused individuals were charged for purportedly accessing millions of subscribers’ investments at the Afriq Arbitrage Company’s online trading platform until October 9th, 2023.
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