The Court of Appeal in Lagos has upheld the conviction and 12-year prison sentence of Kolawole Adedayo Erinle, a businessman found guilty of defrauding a foreign company of $1.4 million.

The judgment, delivered on Thursday, 19 December 2024, by a three-man panel of the Court of Appeal, affirmed the sentencing of Erinle, alongside his company, Rinde-Remdex Nigeria Limited, on charges of conspiracy, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, and obtaining money under false pretence.

Erinle had been initially arraigned before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja on 11 March 2022.

However, following Justice Taiwo’s retirement, the case was reassigned to Justice Oshodi.

On 28 October 2022, Erinle was re-arraigned on the three-count charge, which included the false representation of himself and his accomplice, Edward Dada (still at large), as agents of J.E. Dunn, a construction company based in the United States.

They created a fraudulent domain name, jedunn.org, to deceive their victims into transferring $1,410,000.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had accused Erinle of perpetrating the crime in 2019 in Lagos, with the intent to exploit the fraudulent representation for monetary gain.

During the trial, Erinle admitted to being a convicted fraudster in the United States, where he served 23 months in prison for similar offences.

Although he initially denied the charges, he later expressed remorse, stating, “I am sorry.”

Justice Oshodi, after considering the facts of the case, convicted Erinle on 26 September 2023, sentencing him to 12 years in prison for obtaining money under false pretence.

The sentence was ordered to run concurrently, beginning from 10 February 2023. Erinle’s company was also fined N50 million and ordered to be wound up, with all proceeds forfeited to the Federal Government.

Erinle sought to appeal the conviction, but the EFCC’s counsel, T.J. Banjo, argued that the appeal lacked merit and urged the appellate court to dismiss it.

In the lead judgment, Justice Danlami Zama Senchi upheld the lower court’s ruling, stating that the prosecution had successfully proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Erinle’s appeal was dismissed, cementing the conviction and serving as a stern reminder of the consequences of financial fraud.

A woman, identified as Sarah Ayinde, allegedly set her husband, Abidemi Ayinde, a special constable with the Ogun State Police Command, ablaze in Iperu community in Ogun State.

It was gathered that the incident occurred on December 12, following a minor disagreement between them.

It was reports that a source revealed the dispute escalated, leading the wife to allegedly set her husband, a police officer, on fire in an act of retaliation.

The source said, “There was an incident in Iperu where a police constable was set on fire by his wife following an argument. The victim is currently receiving treatment at the hospital.”

Confirming the incident in a telephone conversation, the state police command spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, stated on Sunday that the victim was hospitalised and efforts were ongoing to apprehend the suspect.

“On December 12, 2024, around 10:00 a.m., an attempted murder was reported in Iperu. At No. 20 Igboore Street, Abidemi Ayinde, a male special constable, was set ablaze by his wife, Sarah Ayinde, after a minor disagreement.

“The victim was rushed to Bolawatife Hospital for treatment and is now in stable condition. Meanwhile, the suspect, Sarah Ayinde, is currently at large, and a manhunt is underway. The division’s crime branch is investigating the case further,” Odutola added.

A wife, Sarah Ayinde, is on the run after setting her husband, a special constable with the Ogun State Police Command, Abidemi Ayinde, ablaze in the Iperu area of the state.

PUNCH Metro gathered from a source who pleaded anonymity that the incident occurred on December 12 after the couple had engaged in a minor dispute.

The source disclosed to our correspondent on Sunday that the dispute escalated, and the wife resorted to setting the cop ablaze in a retaliatory attempt.

The Source said, “There is an incident in Iperu. A police constabulary was set on fire by his wife. They argued, and the wife set him on fire. He is currently hospitalised.”

Confirming the incident in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, the spokesperson for the state Police Command, Omolola Odutola, told PUNCH Metro on Sunday that the victim was hospitalised following the incident.

She narrated that efforts were underway to apprehend the wife.

“On December 12, 2024, at approximately 10:00 a.m., an attempted murder incident occurred in Iperu. Reports indicate that at No. 20 Igboore Street, Abidemi Ayinde, a male special constable with the police division, was set on fire by his wife, Sarah Ayinde, following a minor dispute.

“The victim was quickly taken to the Bolawatife Hospital for medical attention and is currently in a stable condition.

“The suspect, Sarah Ayinde, remains at large, and efforts are underway to apprehend her. The division’s crime branch is conducting further investigations into the matter,” Odutola said.

PUNCH Metro reported a similar incident in October 2019, when a policeman attached to the Highway Patrol Team of the Lagos State Police Command committed suicide after shooting his wife dead at the prison barracks on Awolowo Road in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State.

Our correspondent gathered at the time that a fight broke out between the couple which led the policeman to shoot his wife dead with his gun.

After shooting his wife, it was learnt that the cop also shot himself dead.

PUNCH Metro correspondent who visited the area at the time of the incident gathered that the policeman and his wife were arguing about their marriage when the tragedy occurred.

Credit: PUNCH