MICHAEL AKINOLA
Police Operatives from the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, Lagos have uncovered how members of suspected fraud syndicate swindled a housemaid, Miss Ezekiel Sarah by ordering her to bring her Madam’s expensive gold jewelries worth N500m.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on 10th March, 2025, at Jakande roundabout, Lekki area of Lagos, where the victim, Miss Sarah, was accosted and convinced to go and bring the gold jewelries belonging to her madam, Mrs. Blessing Kanmi Tijani.
Three of the suspects, Jimoh Monsuru, 50, Bashiru Hassan, 35 and Mukaila Yusuf, 57 have been arrested and charged over their involvement in the alleged offence.
According to the Police, one of the members of the syndicate, Monsuru, accosted the victim, Miss Sarah, with the claim that he was a foreigner and needed a Nigerian person that will help him to sell his goods which he imported into Nigeria.
The victim fell into his trap and from there, he ordered her to go to her Madam’s room and bring the gold jewelries including Italian gold jewelries, two (2) pairs of gold earrings, valued N500,000,000.00 including Five Hundred American Dollars and Fifty Pounds, which she handed over to him and he disappeared.
The Madam later realized that the items were missing and the victim confessed what happened. The matter was reported to the Police, who moved into action, eventually arrested Monsuru and detained him at the Command for interrogation.
During the investigation, Monsuru mentioned Hassan and Yusuf as the receivers of the items and they were arrested as well. Consequently, they were charged before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charges read:
COUNT I: “That you, Jimoh Monsuru, Bashiru Hassan, and Mukaila Yusuf and others still at large, on the 10th of March, 2025 at Jakande roundabout, Lekki area of Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: obtaining goods by false pretence and receiving stolen properties and therefore committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.”
COUNT II:”That you, Jimoh Monsuru and others still at large, between 10th-14th March, 2025, in the same place, at the aforementioned Magisterial District, with intent to defraud, did obtain nine (9) pieces of Italian Gold Jewelries, two (2) pairs of Gold earrings, valued Five Hundred Million Naira (N500,000,000.00), Five Hundred American Dollars and Fifty Pounds from Miss. Ezekiel Sarah, properties of one Mrs. Blessing Kanmi Tijani, under the pretence that you were a foreigner and you needed a Nigerian person that will help you to sell your goods, which you imported into Nigeria, a presentation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 314 (a) of Criminal Laws of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.”
COUNT III:”That you, Bashiru Hassan, Mukaila Yusuf and others still at large, sometimes in the month of March 2025, at Ayobo Area of Lagos in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did dishonestly receive nine (9) pieces of Italian Gold Jewelries and two (2) pairs of earrings value Five Hundred Million Naira (N500,000,000,00) from Jimoh Monsuru ‘M’ and three others who are presently are large, properties of one Mrs. Blessing Kanmi Tijani ‘M’ knowing same to be stolen properties and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 328 of Criminal Laws of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.”
However, they pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Supol Akeem Raji, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since they pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that they actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O. Kusanu, granted them bail with sureties, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned for mention while the defendants were remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when they will perfect their bail conditions.