Hassan Kareem Ayinde, a fake Army General who adopted the name Bolarinwa Oluwasegun Abiodun to defraud unsuspecting victims using the name of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, was Thursday, sentenced to seven years imprisonment, for fraud.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of an Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos, said his imprisonment will send message to scammers who have destroyed the name of the country.
The fake general was convicted following a plea bargain at the proceedings on Thursday, where he admitted using the name of Obasanjo, to defraud a business man, Bamidele Olusegun Safiriyu, to the tune of N266.5milion.
Ruling on a 13-count charge brought before the court, the judge ordered that the convict should give to the complainant, a sum of N20 million Naira.
He is also to forfeit four vehicles recovered during search on his home at 1A Joke Ayo street, Alagbado, Lagos, while the building was also ordered forfeited.
Among the properties to be forfeited are; a black Range Rover Sport HSA with Reg No APJ YAB 289 BD, a black BMW 750 NNI with chassis No WBAKC6C51A393501, a black Toyota Land Cruiser V6 ESR with chassis No JINHU09JXV4086310 and a white Toyota Hilux woyh Reg No Lagos KTU 985 BT.
The Court also ordered that the First Bank of Nigeria account of Bolarinwa Oluwasegun Abiodun be closed.
Justice Taiwo said that the action of the convict shows the length scammer can go to defraud innocent victims, adding that he portrayed himself to be a general, perfected the scam by his level of his education.
She wondered if such a person should be allowed to walk scot-free.
“It is so sad that people have given our dear country a bad name, I intend to send a clear message to scammers,” she said.
The convict was arraigned on April 11, 2022 for falsely representing himself to the complainant, Kodef Clearing Resources, as a General in the Nigerian Army.
He was also alleged to have falsely told the complainant that he was shortlisted by President Muhammadu Buhari to be appointed as the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, and that he needed a short grant to “press and process the appointment.”
The defendant was arrested at his house in the Alagbado area of Lagos State on Wednesday, January 12, 2022.
He was also accused to have forged a letter of appointment as COAS purportedly signed by the President and showed the same to the victim to further prove his claim.
One of the counts reads: “Bolarinwa Oluwasegun Abiodun, between 15th June, 2020 and 31st December 2020 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud and whilst holding yourself out as a General in the Nigerian Army, obtained the sum of N111,400,000 from Kodef Clearing Resources Limited, under the pretense that the sum represented part of the amount expended to “press and process” your incoming appointment by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, as the Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army, which pretense you knew to be false.”
The charge against him also has it that he allegedly forged a Nigeria Army Identity Card with serial number 387140, claiming the same to have been issued to him from the Nigerian Army.
He also forged a “Letter of Recommendation” purportedly signed by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo recommending one Adebayo Rasaq Adebola, with recruitment No 77RRI/OG/556/0032555 and Adeogun Emmanuel Adesola with recruitment No 77RRI/OG/352/0123751 for employment into the Nigeria Army.
He was also charged for being in possession of a forged “Certificate of Confirmation” dated November 7, 2018, purporting the same to have emanated from the Nigerian Army Headquarters.
He was also accused of being in possession of a forged document titled: “Letter of Authorization”, purportedly signed by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo permitting one Bamidele Olusegun Safiriyu of De-Rock Maritime Resource LTD. to enter Apapa Port freely and load their truck.
