Oluwatobi Ajibola, a 29-year-old woman from Lagos, has been brought before the Ikeja Chief Magistrate Court in Ogba, accused of defrauding Emmanuel Olofinjana, an Ogboni chief, of N6.3 million. The charges against her involve allegedly deceiving Olofinjana into believing she was pregnant with his twins and had given birth to them.
According to police counsel Insp. Oluwasegun Dada, Ajibola committed the offences between August 2023 and July 2024 at Kayode Oduba Drive, Thomas Estate, Ajah, Lagos. She purportedly convinced Olofinjana of the fake birth, leading to the extortion of the substantial sum.
During the court session on Tuesday, presided over by Magistrate Lateef Owolabi, Ajibola pleaded not guilty to the charges of stealing by extorting and causing a breach of peace. The prosecutor highlighted that her actions violated sections 168(f), 314(1)(2), and 323(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.
In response to the plea, defense counsel Emmanuel Apasobi requested bail on liberal terms for Ajibola. Magistrate Owolabi granted bail in the amount of N400,000 with two sureties, stipulating that one must be a family member and the other a civil servant. Additionally, proof of tax payment to the Lagos State Government and a verified address were required.
The case has been adjourned until July 29, 2024, for further trial proceedings.
Following the court session, Olofinjana, also known as the Aare Oba Ogboni Isedale, spoke with reporters, describing his experience as a victim of what he termed an online romance scam. He recounted meeting Ajibola on Snapchat and engaging briefly with her before traveling to the UK. It was during his absence, he claimed, that Ajibola initiated the fraudulent scheme.
