EFCC arraigns man for alleged $5m, N800m cyber-security software investment scam

The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on May 9, 2023, arraigned one Sennaike Opeoluwa before Justice O.A. Okunuga of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on a six-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, forgery and possession of false documents.

Opeoluwa was arraigned alongside his firm, Sennaike Consulting Limited for allegedly fraudulently obtaining the sums of $5 million and N800 million from unsuspecting members of the public.

Count one reads: “David Sennaike Opeoluwa and Sennaike Consulting Limited, sometime between the months of January 2021 and March 2022, within the Ikeja Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, deceitfully obtained an aggregate sum of $5,000,000 (Five Million US Dollars) from unsuspecting members of the public, on the understanding that the payment was an investment for the protection and prevention of a developed Cyber-Security Software for onwards delivery to the United States of America.”

Count two reads: “David Sennaike Opeoluwa and Sennaike Consulting Limited, sometime between the months of January 2021 and August 2022 in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, deceitfully obtained an aggregate sum of N800,000,000 (Eight Hundred Million Naira) from Mr. Olugbenga Ojo, Benson Ogungbamiwa, and several unsuspecting members of the public, on the understanding that the payment was an investment for the protection and prevention of a developed Cyber-Security Software for onwards delivery to the United States of America.”

Count reads: ” David Sennaike Opeoluwa and Sennaike Consulting Limited, on or about the 6th day of October 2022 in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, with dishonest intention, forged documents printed from your laptop titled “Executive Office Of The President Of The United States”, dated November 22, 2021, and other related documents containing fraudulent conversation allegedly made between Kamala Harris, representative of the Government of the United States of America and Olugbemiga Ojo, President and CEO of Langberg Inc., in order to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.”

Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the defendant pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to him.

In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Ahmed Yerima, prayed the court for a trial date and for the remand of the defendant.

The defence counsel, Akeem Akinroye, made an oral application for the bail of his client, arguing that “he doesn’t constitute a flight-risk”.

Justice Okunuga, however, noted that the court was a court of records.

The defendant was ordered to be remanded at the Correctional Centre, pending when a formal bail application would be brought before the court.

The case was adjourned till June 28, 2023 for trial.