A 35-year-old man, Banjo Omotosho, and his wife,
Ebun, 29 have been arraigned before a Somolu Magistrate’s Court for allegedly
forging a death certificate in a bid to defraud the Niger Insurance Company of
the sum of N1.08m.
The alleged crime was said to have been detected
at the insurance company located on the Anthony end of the Ikorodu
Expressway.
It was learnt that Banjo had approached the
insurance company with his wife, Ebun, to take a life insurance policy under the
names, Ojo Alabi Kingsley, and Ojo Motunrayo, respectively.
Banjo was said to have claimed that Ebun
(Motunrayo) was his daughter and hence his next of kin.
The life insurance was said to have been taken in
May, while a premium of N50, 000 was paid to the company.
However on August 4, Ebun (Motunrayo) allegedly
approached the company and said her father had died in an accident, hoping to
claim the benefit of N1, 080, 000 attached to the insurance policy.
Our correspondent learnt that Ebun allegedly
presented a police report, and a forged death certificate signed by one Dr.
Lawal of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, dated May 29.
The medical report reportedly indicated that he
died of hemorrhagic shock.
In addition, Ebun allegedly obtained an attending
physician certificate that Alabi Ojo Kingsley had been under his (doctor’s) care
for two years, which was co-signed by two law firms located in Gbagada area of
the state.
Niger Insurance Company was said to be in the
final stages of verification of claims when residents of the purported address
where the ‘deceased’ lived denied knowing anyone by the name.
Omotosho and Ebun were then arrested after the
fraud was uncovered.
They were arraigned on three counts of
conspiracy, forgery and intent to defraud.
The charges read in part, “That you, Banjo
Omotosho and Ebun Omotosho, on September 22 at about 10am at Niger Insurance Plc
on Ikorodu Road, Anthony Village, fraudulently forged the death certificate of
one Ojo Alabi Kingsley with intent to claim N1,080,000 on behalf of Ojo
Motunrayo who is his next of kin.”
The police prosecutor, ASP Akinlabi Adegoke, said
the offences were punishable under sections 361, 21 and 409 of the Criminal Law
of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges and
elected summary trial.
Their defence counsel asked for their bail in
liberal terms.
The magistrate, Mrs Bola Osunsanmi, admitted them
to bail in the sum of N200,000 each, with two sureties in like sum.
The matter was adjourned till December 10.
http://www.punchng.com/metro-plus/man-forges-own-death-certificate-for-insurance-fraud/
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