Sadiq Sentenced to 17 years for defrauding a businessman of €40,000

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) Lagos Zonal Command has successfully prosecuted Abiodun Adeola Sadiq for defrauding a businessman of 40,000 euros before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos.

Sadiq, 50, is accused of defrauding a businessman, Babatunde Emmanuel, of 40,000 euros under the guise that the money would be used for the processing of the Malta Government Citizenship Investment Program and the purchase of a Malta international passport.

He had pretended to be a representative of the Maltese government to the victim.

However, after receiving the money, the defendant simply gave his victim a fake Maltese international passport, which when used to travel to Europe resulted in the victim’s deportation and the revocation of his 10-year visa.

The victim then filed a complaint with the EFCC. Following his arrival from the United Kingdom, UK, Sadiq was apprehended by EFCC agents.

According to the EFCC, an investigation revealed that the funds were diverted to Sadiq’s personal use.

The EFCC charged him with a seven-count amended charge of obtaining by false pretense and forgery.

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“Abiodun Adeola Sadiq (aka Bunmi Sadiq) obtained a total sum of forty thousand euros (40,000 euros) from Babatunde Emmanuel between the 14th day of May 2019 and the 23rd day of July 2019 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division by falsely representing to Babatunde Emmanuel that the money was for Malta Government citizenship Investment Programme and procurement of Malta international Passport which pretence you knew to be false,” according to one of the counts.

“Abiodun Adeola Sadiq (aka Bunmi Sadiq) knowingly forged and international passport with Passport No. 7255732 with names Babatunde Emmanuel Babalola purporting the said passport to emanate from Passport Office Malta between the 14th day of of May 2019 and the 23rd day of July 2019 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division between the 14th day of May 2019 and the 23rd day of July 2019 at Lagos within the I

He was also accused of forging two other Maltese international passports, one in the name of Vincent Genesis Oyinlola and the other in the name of Vincent Olivia Ashinedun.

When he was arraigned, he pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.

The prosecuting attorney, S.O. Daji, called four witnesses during the trial, including Sadiq’s victim, who testified as the second prosecution witness about how he was defrauded and how, after using the forged passport, he was humiliated in Europe and treated like a terrorist. Through the witnesses, eight exhibits were also offered as evidence.

The defendant, who took the stand to defend himself, claimed that the forged passport that got the victim into trouble came from a man named “Sesan,” whose surname and location he couldn’t provide during the trial.

Justice Taiwo ruled today that the prosecution had proven all of the charges against the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt.

P.A. Awe, the defense attorney, pleaded with the Court to temper justice with mercy and grant a non-custodial sentence. His client, who was given the opportunity to speak to the Court, also pleaded for mercy.

He said, “Have mercy on me.”

Following that, Justice Taiwo sentenced him to five years in prison on count one and two years in prison on counts two through seven. The sentences must be read in order.

He was also ordered to pay his victim restitution.