A self-acclaimed social media influencer, Adedamola Adewale Rukayat, also known as Adeherself has been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Sherifat Solebo of the Special Offence Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on one-count charge of possession of fraudulent documents.
In a statement Tuesday morning, the EFCC Tuesday, the defendant was arrested following intelligence received by the Commission on the activities of some young men allegedly involved in internet fraud in the Lekki axis of Lagos State.
The count read: “That you, Adewale Adedamola Rukayat, on or about the 15th day of June, 2020 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, had in your possession documents titled “WhatsApp”, which representations you knew or ought to have known, was false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 (8)(b) and 1 (3)(d) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006”.
Adewale however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. In view of her plea, prosecution counsel, S.O. Daji, asked the court for a trial date and also prayed that she be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS).
The defence counsel informed the court of a bail application for his client and also prayed for a short date to enable its hearing.
Justice Solebo adjourned the matter to July 13, 2020 for hearing of the bail application and also ordered the defendant to be remanded in the EFCC custody.
In June, Adeherself, 20, and her accomplice, Lamina Hamzat Ajibola were arrested for internet fraud at the Agungi area of Lekki, Lagos State.
Their arrest was said to be sequel to intelligence linking them to online fraudulent activities with two brothers, Lasisi Wasiu Adeleke and Lasisi Riliwan Adeniyi, who are at large.
“They were arrested at a four-bedroom duplex belonging to the two run-away fraudsters,” EFCC said.
The antigraft body said during interrogation, Adewale (Adeherself) confessed to being a ‘picker’ in cyber fraud.
The commission said the model usually posed as a lady to hoodwink her foreign “preys”.
EFCC listed items recovered from the suspects to include two Toyota Camry 2009 model cars, and a sum of N9,000,000.00 (Nine Million Naira only), which was found in Adewale’s account.
