EFCC Arraigns Man for $77,490 Scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, January 20, 2016 arraigned one Balogun Keji also known as Acclink Maximum before Justice O. A. Ipaye of the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on a 4-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence.

Keji allegedly met his victims: Sandra Kang and Mark F. Lins online and contracted a relationship with them.

The accused allegedly introduced to Kang and Lins, an oil business in Nigeria which he claimed was being operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC and the Presidency.  

To facilitate the business, Keji allegedly collected from them, a total sum of $77,490 (seventy seven thousand, four hundred and ninety dollars) as fees for the issuance of Contract Identity, but converted same to personal use.  

One of the counts reads:

“That you, Balogun Keji (a.k.a Acclink Maximum), and one Femi (still at large) on or about the 12th day of May 2014 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $67,990 (sixty seven thousand, nine hundred and ninety United States Dollars) from one Mark F. Lins, a United States of America national through Acclink Maximum Domicillary Account No. 2016129986, domiciled at First Bank Plc, Ogba Branch, Ikeja, Lagos by falsely representing to Mark F. Lins that the said sum of money was the cost of obtaining contract identity (ID) issuance from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Presidency which pretence you knew to be false, thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8(a) and 1(3) of the advance Fee Fraud And Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006”.

Another count reads:

“That you Balogun Keji (a.k.a Acclink Maximum) and one Tunji (still at large) on or about the 19th day of November, 2013 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division with intent to defraud conspired to obtain the sum of $9500 (Nine Thousand Five Hundred United state Dollars) from one Sandra Kang through Acclink Maximum Domiciliary Account No 2016129986 domiciled at First Bank Plc Ogba Branch, Ikeja, Lagos by falsely representing to Sandra Kang that the said sum of money was the cost of obtaining Contract Identity (ID) issuance from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Presidency which pretence you knew to be false you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud And Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006”.

In view of the accused plea, counsel to EFCC, O. A Owodunni asked for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the defendant in prison custody.

However, Keji’s counsel, A. Alayo told the court that, he had a pending application for the bail of the accused which had been served on the prosecution.

Justice Ipaye adjourned the matter to March 2, 2016 for hearing of bail application and ordered the defendant to be remanded in prison custody.