‘Identity theft’ Herbalist impersonates Femi Adesina, GMD NNPC, defrauds South Korean man of N30m

The trial of a self-styled herbalist, Jamiu Isiaka, who allegedly impersonated the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, and a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Maikanti Baru, to defraud a South Korean National, Keun Sig Kim to the tune of N30million, resumed on December 15, 2020, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), recalling its star witness, Dare Folarin.

The EFCC, in a statement on Wednesday, said the 31-year-old herbalist, while parading as senior government officials, deceived the foreigner into collecting various sums of money to the tune of N30 million under the pretext of securing for him NNPC approval/marketing form and license certificate to buy crude oil in Nigeria.

 
“In the course of the interrogation, Alfa Jamiu claimed that he used the money to conduct a sacrifice for the petitioner. According to him, part of the money was used to buy vulture, elephant skin, elephant intestine, the skull of a lion, and liver of gorilla,” the statement read.

The commission had earlier arraigned Alfa on a four-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence, impersonation, and forgery of documents before Justice Mahmood Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court.

The court, however, turned down his bail application and ordered his remand at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Mandala. In the course of the trial, the EFCC presented witnesses and tendered various documents.

Consequently, the prosecution closed its case, setting the stage for the defendant to open its defence.

However, the EFCC received fresh intelligence on the matter, which led to discoveries. Hence, the prosecution sought leave of the court to tender in evidence records of its new findings.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, counsel for the EFCC, O.B. Akinsola, said: “My Lord, you will recall that this court had earlier granted our application to recall the officer who investigated this case. The witness is in court, ready to testify.”

Testifying, the witness, Dare Folarin, said further investigations on the intelligence received revealed that the defendant, among other things, used part of the money he fraudulently collected from Keun Sig Kim to acquire properties in Ilorin.

“We discovered a mighty residential building built by the defendant at Oke-Fomo area of Ilorin. We were able to establish that Alfa Jamiu is the original owner of the said property.”

Pictures of the said house were tendered and admitted as exhibits by the court. Justice Abdulgafar adjourned till January 21, 2021, for the defendant to open his defence.

Rtn. Victor Ojelabi

Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.