The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, has arrested the duo of Emmanuel Oluwaniyi, a Deputy Controller (DC), Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) and Hemeson Edson Edwin, also a DC, for allegedly giving exaggerated medical reports that led to a convicted internet fraudster, Hope Olusegun Aroke, who is serving a 24-year jail term, being given a referral to be treated outside the facility.
The arrest of the two Deputy Controllers of prison may be part of the investigations to unveil the network of accomplices that helped facilitate the recent scam perpetrated by Aroke, also known as H.Money, from prison.
The first suspect, Oluwaniyi, who is the Controller, Kirikiri Maximum Prison,
as well as the second suspect, Edwin, who is in charge of the medical facility,
were arrested on Monday, November 25, 2019, by operatives of the Commission.
A statement on EFCC website indicates suspects have given useful information to
the Commission about their alleged involvement in the crime.
Aroke (H.Money) had masterminded a mega scam to the tune of over $1m scam from
prison, using a network of accomplices.
Aroke was one of the two Malaysia-based Nigerian undergraduate fraudsters
arrested by the EFCC towards the end of 2012 at the 1004 Housing Estate,
Victoria Island, Lagos, following a tip-off.
Aroke, who hails from Okene in Kogi State, had claimed to be a student of
Computer Science at the Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University, Malaysia.
However, investigations by the Commission revealed Aroke as the arrow head in
an intricate web of internet fraud scheme that traverses two continents. When
Aroke was arrested, a search conducted by EFCC operatives on his apartment led
to the recovery of several items such as laptops, iPad, traveling documents,
cheque books, flash drives, internet modem, and three exotic cars – a Mercedes
Benz Jeep, One 4Matic Mercedes Benz Car and a Range Rover Sport SUV.
He was eventually convicted by Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos State High
Court, Ikeja on two counts of obtaining money by false pretence, cheque
cloning, wire transfer and forgery.
He was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment on each of the two counts.
