EFCC Arrests Three Lawyers, Two Others At Large For Defrauding Pastor

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) Ilorin Zonal
Office has arrested three legal practitioners for allegedly
defrauding a Pastor, Adetunji Adedoyin, of his property valued at
about N20 million.

The anti-graft agency named the accused lawyers as Salman Rafiu,
Sulyman Abaya and Saka Hammed, while it said that others who are at
large are, Olarewaju Aluko and Mr Na’ Allah Suyuti.

In a statement by the EFCC in Ilorin on Wednesday, it said that
the petitioner alleged that the suspects fraudulently obtained a
court order through false representation and sold his property
without his consent or briefing them to defend him in the legal
proceedings which they instituted.

“I was informed that I was served summons all through the Court
proceedings whereas it was R.A Salman who picked and arranged his
colleagues, Abaya Sulyman and Saka Hammed to stand for me and these
lawyers forged my signature on some documents purporting to consent
in court to the sale of my hostel”, he said.

Adedoyin also said that “The truth of the matter is, I never set
my eyes on these people (lawyers) prior to or during the court
proceedings, neither did I participate directly or indirectly in
the proceedings. I also was not aware of the proceedings from the
beginning to the end.

“Earlier in 2016, after seeking advice on what to do, I engaged
a lawyer, Victor Okojie, in Ilorin to pursue justice for me because
all attempts I made failed. Victor Okojie later linked me with the
buyer Mr Na’ Allah and the buyer’s lawyer, Ayodele Aluko Olarewaju.
The buyer felt my pain and explained that he has expended about
N12.5 million for the acquisition of my property. He said he was
willing to release it only if I can pay back the money”.

The petitioner further explained that he was able to pay the sum
of N4.2million to the buyer’s account in order to recover the
stolen property which they released for him as at that time.

“The hostel was taken over again in March 2019 by the alleged
buyer Mr Na’ Allah through his lawyer, Aluko Olarewaju on the
grounds that I have not paid the outstanding balance”.

The statement also said that the suspects had earlier denied all
the allegations against them until when the operatives of the EFCC
confronted them with some alleged forged documents which they
claimed emanated from the petitioner.

“The principal suspect in the case, Barrister Salman Rafiu, were
showed an affidavit prepared by them and purportedly signed by the
petitioner”.

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