28-year-Old Arraigned Woman, Granted N4m Bail For Alleged Impersonation, Fraud

The Police in Lagos, on Friday, arraigned a 28-year-old woman, Juliana Friday, at an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court, over alleged impersonation.

Friday, whose house address was not given, is being charged with 34 counts bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, impersonation, to which she pleaded not guilty.

The Prosecutor, Insp. John Iberedem told the court that Friday committed the offence between November 2023 and February 2024 at the Bonny Camp area of Lagos.

Iberedem said the defendant and her accomplices still at large, allegedly impersonated the Nigeria Police Force and presented themselves to be police inspectors attached to the Lagos State Police Commissioner’s Office.

He alleged that the defendant and her accomplices, who in their impersonating act, obtained money from unsuspecting police recruits.

“She and others at large obtained by false pretence the sum of N600,000 and N850,000 respectively from one Damola Bello, and Franklin Obi under the pretext of wanting to help them secure police jobs.

“The sum of N850,000 and N600,000 was falsely obtained from Musa Omobolala and Wasiu Bello respectively under the guise of helping them secure police jobs.

“She obtained N600,000 from one Tina Danladi to secure her a civil defence job, while the sum of N650,000 was falsely gotten from Blessing Danladi to help her secure a police job.

“Some other people she obtained various monies from are Zainab Oyebola, the sum of N800,000, Munir Lawal, the sum of N900,000 and Kadija Hassan, the sum of N550,000 for a civil defence and police jobs respectively.

“AllI Lawal, Akinwumi Alarope, Aisha Shonde and Damilola Alli, who were falsely defrauded of N600,000, N700,000, N500,000 including another N500,000 respectively are victims of the defendant’s conspiracy to secure police and soldier jobs for them.

“The defendant also falsely conspired to defraud one Bilhatu Adamu, Carina Fata, Elizabeth Danladi and one Aloaye the sum of N40,000, N20,000, 20,000 and N670,000 respectively for police and civil defence jobs as well.

“One Cpl Theresa Bello was a victim of N1.3 million police job fraud by the defendant as well as Yakubu Garba, Abubakar Abubakar, Gabriel Kutiju and Solomon Angelo who all gave N850,000, 850,000,950,000 and 700,000 respectively for police jobs.

“The defendant still went ahead to defraud Garba Muntari of N700,000, Faith John of N450,000, Miracle Sani of N450,000, Adamu Yohana of N400,000 and Mercy Hassan of N250,000, all for securing police jobs for them.

“Lastly, she took N370,000, N2.5 million N750,000, N120, 000 and N35,000 from Joseph Rahap, Jimmia Bako, mummy lucky, Murna Thomas and Roseline Phillip respectively all under the false pretext of securing police jobs for them, a representation she knew to be false,” Iberedem said.

She said the offence contravened Sections 77(a), 314(1) and 412 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

Section 77(a) attracts a three-year jail term for anyone guilty of impersonating members of the Armed Forces or a member of the police.

The Magistrate, Mrs E. Kubeinje, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N4 million with two sureties in like sum.

Kubeinje ordered that such sureties must be gainfully employed with proof of tax payment to the Lagos State Government with verifiable addresses.

She adjourned the case until Aug. 7, for hearing.