A filmmaker, Seun Egbegbe, is to remain in prison till Tuesday when the Federal High Court in Lagos will hear his bail application.
The Police Special Fraud Unit last Friday arraigned Egbegbe otherwise known as Olajide Kazeem for alleged serial fraud involving N39, 098,100, $90,000 and £12,550.
He was arraigned on 36 counts with Oyekan Ayomide, with whom he allegedly conspired to perpetrate the fraud between 2015 and last February 2. They were accused of defrauding Bureau De Change (BDC) operators.
Defence counsel Miss. A. O. Gbadamoshi said she completed the process of filing the bail applications on Tuesday.
Police prosecutor Innocent Anyigor said he was unable to file a counter affidavit to the applications as he was served yesterday, adding that he needed time to respond.
Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo ordered that the defendants remain in prison until their bail applications are heard on Tuesday.
The defendants allegedly defrauded no fewer than 30 BDC operators in Lagos between 2015 and February , mostly by falsely representing to the victims that they had foreign currencies to sell.
The police alleged that for instance on February 2, Egbegbe and Ayomide fraudulently obtained N2.45m and £,3,000 from Alhaji Isa Adamu in Lagos under the guise that they wanted to see the naira and buy the pounds.
Their other victims are Mohammed Sanni, who was allegedly defrauded of N2.46million on New Year’s day; Jubrila Ado, allegedly defrauded of N1.257 million September 9, 2016; Saidi Abdullahi, allegedly defrauded of N700,000 on April 18, 2016; Atairu Abdullaahi, allegedly defrauded of N1 million on June 23, 2016; Hassan Amodu, allegedly defrauded of N600,000 in January 2016; Abdullahi Babadisa, allegdly defrauded of N650,000 in January 2016 and Sanni Hassan, allegedly defrauded of N1.43m and £2,750 in August 2015.
Others are Abdurawan Hassan who allegedly lost N1.46million to Egbegbe last January, Suraju Garuba, who lost N850,000 in July 2016; Abdullahi Mumini, who lost N2.15m in September 2016; Garuba Hassan, who lost N700,000 on January 10, 2016 and Sanni Mohammed, who lost N1.89million last January 29.
Also allegedly swindled are Barowo Abdullahi, who lost N2.6million; Yahu Alidu, who lost N1.75million; Tairu Musa, who lost N2milliom; Mohammed Bello, who lost $300; Mohammed Usman, N450,500; Suleiman Shehu, who lost N1.276million; Ahmadu Abda, who lost N2million; Nairu Musa, who lost N1.007million; Sanni Mohammed, who lost N1.6million and $3,000.
Others are Umaru Haruna, who lost N1.7million; Abubakar Musa, who lost $4,000; Abdulrasaq Sanni, who lost N1.7million; Abdullahi Babatunde, who lost N2.77million; among others.
The police said the offence contravened Section 8 of the Addvance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006. The accused are liable to be punished under Section 1(3) of the law.
Egbegbe and Ayomide pleaded not guilty.
Their trial will begin on March 10.