Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa sitting at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, has ordered that a bench warrant be issued against a couple, Tunde Akobi and Rebecca Akobi, over alleged offences of obtaining by false pretence and N87. 4 million fraud.

The Judge made the order while granting an Exparte order marked FHC/L/115c/2026, filed and moved by Barrister S. O. Ayodele, a legal officer at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi Lagos.

Barrister Ayodele, while urging the court to issue the bench warrant against the couple, informed the court that the motion Exparte is pursuant to sections 113 and 114 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, Extradition Modification Order 2014 and Federal High Court Extradition Procedure Rules 2015 and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

He also told the court that the motion Exparte is supported with an affidavit deposed to by one Omitosin Rotimi, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) who led the team that investigated the couple’s alleged offences.

Parts of the deponent’s statements read: “I am the Investigating Police Officer who investigated a case of Obtaining Money by pretence and stealing against the defendants.

“That the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, FCID Annex, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, received a petition of Obtaining Money by False Pretence’ against the defendants/respondents.

“That one Nena Eunice Iyare whom is the nominal complainant, made a statement to the Police confirming the contents of the petition. And that the nominal complainant supplied copies of the payment receipt of the sum to the Police.

“That the defendants/respondents are believed to be in the UK. And that the INTERPOL Section of the FCID Annex, Lagos is working in conjunction with the Ministry of Justice to facilitate mutual legal assistance to repatriate the defendants/respondents to enable them stand trial.

“That it will be in the interest of Justice to grant this application to enable the Applicant to arrest the 1st Defendant/Respondent and ensure his attendance in Court.”

Justice Lewis-Allagoa, after listening to the lawyer’s submission, ordered that the bench warrant be issued against the couple.

Pending charges against the couple read: “That you, (1) Tunde Akobi ‘M’, (2) Rebecca Tayo Akobi ‘M) and others now at large, sometimes in 2021, within the Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, did by false pretense and with intent to defraud obtained the sum of Eight Seven Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N87, 400, 000:00k) from one Mrs. Nena Eunice Nwokoro under the guise of selling land to her, a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1)© and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and ‘other related Offences Act 2006, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

“That you, (1) Tunde Akobi ‘M’, (2) Rebecca Tayo Akobi and others now at large, on the same date, time and place, and in the aforementioned judicial Division, did steal the sum of Eight Seven Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N87, 400,000:00k) from one Mrs. Nena Eunice Nwokoro and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 383 and punishable under section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.” (The Nation)

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