2nd August, 2023
By Paul Iyoghojie
Operatives of the Nigeria Police’s Special Weapons and Tactical Team (SWAT) Command at Adeniji Adele, Lagos Island, Lagos, Southwest, Nigeria have arrested a suspected fake Interpol agent, Godwin Enahoro, 28, and his sister, Rosemary Enahoro and charged them before a Lagos Magistrates’ Court for allegedly obtaining the sum of 98,000 USD equivalent to N74,025,000 by pretence.
Police alleged that Godwin Enahoro allegedly presented himself as an Interpol agent and the owner of LEONARD Chambers to the complainant, Catherine Fam and collected the sum of 98,000 USD from her to help her recover a property.
Police further alleged that after Enahoro collected the money from the complainant, failed to fulfil the promise and instead fled.
Police alleged that when the complainant waited for days without hearing from Enahoro, she called him to know what was delaying the property recovery, but Enahoro allegedly told the complainant to stop talking about the property recovery and the money or else she would be killed.
Police said that following the development, the complainant petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) who referred the matter to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, in charge of operations at the Lagos SWAT Command, DCP Stephen Ogedengbe for proper investigation.
DCP Ogedengbe swiftly directed his crack team led by ASP Muhammed to fish out the fleeing suspect anywhere he might be hiding.
The police tracked Enahoro, arrested him and charged him with his sister, Rosemary before the Tinubu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos Island on 10 count charges bordering on impersonation, obtaining money by pretence, threat to life and stealing.
Police counsel, Cyriacus Osuji told the court that the defendants committed the offence on 7 and 13 June 2023 in Lagos.
Osuji informed the court that Enahoro deceitfully presented himself as an Interpol agent and the owner of LEONARD chambers to the complainant, a claim he knew to be false and tricked the complainant to pay him the sum of 98,000USD to help her recover her property, and that when the complainant called him to ask about the property recovery, he threatened the complainant to stop asking about the property and the money or else she would be killed.
Osuji further told the court that Rosemary Enahoro aided his brother to defraud the complainant as she received N10m of the stolen money through her bank account knowing full well that the N10m was a proceeds of fraud.
He said the offences, the defendant committed were punishable under Sections 411, 313, 280 (1)(a) (b), 78 (a)(B), 232, 328(1), 16(b)(c) and 287 of the Criminal Law Of Lagos State, 2015.
Count 6 and 7 of the charges read, that you Godwin Enahoro and others still at large with intent to commit felony did represent yourself to Catherine Fam as an Interpol agent and the owner of LEONARD Chambers in a position to recover her property.
Count 8 reads, that you Godwin Enahoro did threaten Catherine Fam that if she dare probed into the said stolen money she would be killed.
Count 10 reads, that you Rosemary Enahoro with intent to commit felony did aid Godwin Enahoro who defrauded Catherine Fam of the sum of N74,025,000.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Chief Magistrate Ogunkanmi granted them N5m bail each with two sureties each in the like sum.
Ogunkanmi adjourned the case till 25 August 2023 for mention and ordered that the defendants be detained at the Ikoyi and Kirikiri Correctional Facility till they perfected the bail conditions.