The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested the Deputy of Prisons, Emmanuel Oluwaniyi and Dr Hemeson Edson Edwin, also a Deputy Controller attached to the Kirikiri Prisons for allegedly giving exaggerated medical reports that aided convicted internet fraudster, Hope Olusegun Aroke, to commit a one million dollar scam from prison.
Aroke, who is serving a 24-year jail term for internet fraud offences, was said to have been given a referral to be treated outside the facility as well as access to phone and internet to enable him commit the alleged crime.
Oluwaniyi, who is the Controller, Kirikiri Maximum Prison and Edwin, the Head of the Medical Facility at the prison, were arrested on Monday, November 25, 2019, by operatives of the EFCC.
A statement by the Commission said that the suspects have given useful information about their alleged involvement in the crime.
Aroke, also known as H.Money, had masterminded a mega scam to the tune of over $1m scam.
He committed the alleged crime 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 of an intricate web of an internet fraud scheme that traverses two continents.
“When Aroke was arrested, a search conducted by the EFCC operatives on his apartment led to the recovery of several items such as laptops, iPad, travel 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 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.
