The trial of a self-styled herbalist, Alfa Jamiu Isiaka, who allegedly
impersonated the Special Adviser to the President on Media and
Publicity, Femi Adesina and a former Group Managing Director of the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Maikanti Baru, to defraud
a South Korean National, Keun Sig Kim to the tune of N30million, resumed
on December 15, 2020 with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, recalling its star witness, Dare Folarin.
The 31-year-old Alfa, while parading as senior government official
deceived the foreign national to collect various sums of money to the
tune of N30million under the pretext of securing for him an NNPC
approval/ marketing form and license certificate to buy crude oil in
Nigeria.
In the course of interrogation, Alfa Jamiu claimed that he used the
money to conduct sacrifice for the petitioner. According to him, part of
the money was used to buy vulture, elephant skin, elephant intestine,
the skull of a lion, and the liver of a gorilla.
The Ilorin Zonal Office of the EFCC had on June 14, 2019 arraigned Alfa
Jamiu on a four-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence,
impersonation and forgery of documents before Justice Mahmood
Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin.
The court, however, turned down his bail application and ordered his
remand at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Mandala.
In the course of the trial, the EFCC presented witnesses and tendered
various documents which were admitted in evidence by the court.
Consequently, the prosecution closed its case, setting the stage for
the defendant to open its defence.
However, the Commission received fresh intelligence on the matter, which
led to new discoveries. Hence, the prosecution sought leave of the Court
to tender in evidence records of its new findings. The application was
graciously granted by the court.
At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, counsel to the
EFCC, O. B Akinsola said: “My Lord, you will recall that this court had
earlier granted our application to recall the officer who investigated
this case. The witness is in court, ready to testify.”
Testifying, the witness, Dare Folarin, narrated how intelligence
received shortly after the Commission closed its case led to new
discoveries on the matter. According to him, further investigations on
the intelligence received revealed that the defendant, among other
things, used part of the money he fraudulently collected from Keun Sig
Kim to acquire properties in Ilorin.
“My Lord, after the Commission closed its case, based on intelligence
reports, we discovered a mighty residential building built by the
defendant, Jamiu Isiaka, at Oke-Fomo area of Ilorin.
“We were able to establish that Alfa Jamiu is the original owner of the
said property. Part of the money he collected from a South Korean
National, Keun Sig Kim was used to build the house”, Folarin stated.
Pictures of the said house were tendered and admitted as exhibits by the
court.
Thereafter, Justice Abdulgafar adjourned until January 21, 2021 for
the defendant to open its defence.