How herbalist impersonates Femi Adesina, GMD NNPC; defrauds South Korean of N30m

Trial of a self-styled herbalist, also known as 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 N30 million, 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 a senior government official, allegedly 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 liver of 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 Ilorin.

According to Head, media and publicity of the anti-graft agency, Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC presented witnesses and tendered various documents which were admitted in evidence by the court in the course of the trial.

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.