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EFCC docks man for impersonating, defrauding Fashola N3.1m

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CBN, EFCC strategise to bar criminals from opening account

One Malik Wali was on Monday arraigned at the Federal High Court, Lagos, for allegedly impersonating the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, and defrauding him to the tune of N3,106,216.

Wakili, who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) allegedly committed the offence in March this year.

The EFCC told Justice C.J. Aneke that Wakili conspired with one Abdullahi Umar, who is at large, “to fraudulently impersonate the former Lagos State governor with intent to gain a monetary advantage for themselves.”

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According to the anti-graft agency, the defendant “converted the total sum of N3,106,216, being the value of the minister’s Air-miles Skywards Account Number EK248739282 with the Emirate Airlines and which sum they reasonably ought to have known formed part the proceeds of their unlawful activity, to wit: fraud.”

The prosecution said Wakili acted contrary to sections 15(2)(a) and 27(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act and was liable to be punished under sections 15(3) and 22(3)(a) of the same Act.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the three- count charge filed against him by the Commission.

However, the judge adjourned the case till Tuesday for ruling on the bail application filed by the defendant’s counsel, Eubena Anedu.

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