The Lagos State Police Command arraigned Rukayya Dantata, a 35-year-old woman, with defrauding a Bureau de Change consultancy firm of N350,900,000.
Dantata was charged with two counts of fraud, cheating, and acquiring money under false pretences before the Ikeja Special Offences Court.
The prosecutor, Ezekiel Rimamsomte, told the court that Dantata committed the accused acts between July and August 2022.
He said that the defendant got N350,900,000 through fraudulent means, which was transferred to her Zenith Bank account, 2082551256, and her firm, Adat Ventures’ account, 1014937041, under the name Rukayya Saadina Dantata.
Rimamsomte further claimed that Dantata duped her victims, Saka Rasak of Rosiyike and others at Financial Consultant Ltd., located at No. 50 Kingsway Building in Lagos, by pretending to conduct legitimate business operations.
According to him, the acts committed violated Section 1(a)(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Act 2006 and Section 323 of the Lagos State Criminal Law 2015.
Dantata, on the other hand, has pleaded not guilty to the accusations brought against her.
Her defence attorney, David Igbodo, requested release for his client, presenting a bail application dated August 30 that was filed on September 4, 2024.
Igbodo urged the court to grant the defendant bail under “the most liberal terms,” stating, “The defendant has complied with all police and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) summons and has not jumped bail, despite her health challenges.”
He also informed the court that Dantata’s husband, Alhaji Ismaih Singer, and one Otunba Olutaye Ariyo were in court to guarantee her bail.
The prosecutor did not contest the bail application, leaving the issue to the court’s discretion.
In a brief ruling, Justice Rahmon Oshodi granted Dantata N30 million bail, with two sureties in the same amount.
The judge stipulated, “Both sureties must provide an affidavit of means and evidence of three years’ tax payments to the Lagos State Government.”
Justice Oshodi also ordered the suspect to submit her passport and other travel documents to the court’s chief registrar, adding that the registrar must verify both her home and office addresses.
