$1m Scam: EFCC Arrests Kirikiri Prison Chief, Medical Doctor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday said it has arrested the Controller of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) Kirikiri Emmanuel Oluwaniyi and medical doctor Hemesin Edwin, a Deputy Controller (DC) for their alleged involvement in the $1m scam pulled by a convicted inmate Olusegun Aroke.

They were alleged to have given Aroke, a prisoner on 24-year jail term, an exaggerated medical report that enabled his referral for treatment outside the prison facility.

Aroke, an internet scam kingpin, was accused of masterminding a mega fraud which he allegedly committed using a network of accomplices.

According to a statement posted on the commission’s website, the duo was arrested on Monday and they have made useful statement about their alleged involvement in the crime.

The EFCC recalled that Aroke was one of two Malaysia-based Nigerian undergraduate fraudsters arrested towards the end of 2012 at the 1004 Housing Estate, Victoria Island, following a tip-off.

A native of Okene in Kogi State, the suspect, the EFCC said, had claimed upon arrest that he was a student of Computer Science at the Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University, Malaysia.

“However, investigations by the commission revealed Aroke as the arrowhead of an intricate web of internet fraud schemes that traversed two continents.

“When Aroke was arrested, a search conducted by EFCC operatives on his apartment led to the recovery of several items such as laptops, iPad, traveling documents, cheque books, flash drives, internet modem, and three exotic cars – a Mercedes Benz Jeep, One 4Matic Mercedes Benz Car and a Range Rover Sport SUV.

“He was eventually convicted by Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja on two counts of obtaining money by false pretence, cheque cloning, wire transfer and forgery.

“He was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment on each of the two counts,” said the commission.