Photo: Fake Lagos King, Oba Rilwan Akiolu Impostor In Court For Duping UK Based Woman Of N15M

Feb 9, 2018 – Photo: Lagos King Oba Rilwan Akiolu Impostor Appears In Court  For Duping UK Based Nigerian Woman Of N15Million

Mrs Ajoke Moriselade, a UK-based Nigerian on Thursday told an an Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court how she lost N15 million to a man who allegedly impersonated Oba Riliwan Akiolu of Lagos.

The victim who identified the defendant, Salami Oluwatobi Peter, as the fake Oba, said he obtained the cash from her on the pretext of, among others, getting her a slot at the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

Salami Peter was arraigned last August 18, before Chief Magistrate Akorede Ajibade for alleged conspiracy, impersonation, fraud, forgery and stealing but  he pleaded not guilty.

Led in evidence by prosecuting Inspector Adebayo Oladele at Peter’s resumed trial, Moriselade said :

“I was duped under the false pretence of dealing with the Oba of Lagos, Oba Riliwan Akiolu, to procure a slot in the proposed Lekki Free Airport Investment.

“I met the accused person, Salami Oluwatobi Peter, on Facebook in 2016, through a friend request from Oba of Lagos and profile picture was that of Oba Akiolu”.

Moriselade explained that after two months of consistent chats with him, the defendant, disguised as Akiolu, and sought financial assistance to do business in America worth N250 million.

The complainant said she advised him to contact people like former Lagos State governors Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola for assistance. But after several pleas, she lent him N5 million, with a condition that he would pay back after the contract.

She said he later introduced her to a business that required her to buy shares in a company, which after three months would start earning her profit that would be deposited in her account in Nigeria.

The witness said Peter sent her a form via courier and asked her to deposit N5 million “to start with.”

According to her, after she paid him the second N5 million, Peter stopped calling her and she did not receive any update as regards the business. When she queried him, he told her the N5 million was too small for her to be a shareholder and demanded another N5 million which she sent to him.

She said she realised that she had been duped when she added his number on a social media platform, Snap Chat, so as to leave a message for him after he had stopped picking her calls.

The witness said to her surprise she found that the profile picture was that of a young man, and not Oba Akiolu.

Moriselade said:

“So, I decided to play along and disguised as his admirer in order to get the truth. I later sent him two phones and an Ipad worth £800, in the course of our relationship through my younger brother in Nigeria, who I gave the defendant’s line to call for delivery and the defendant actually received the items.”

According to Moriselade, when her younger brother gave her the description of the receiver, it tallied with the picture she saw on Snapchat, and that was when it dawned on her that she was dealing with a fraudster.”.