Three arrested for duping Olubadan’s deputy, Lekan Balogun of N300m

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibadan zonal office, has announced the arrest of three persons for allegedly duping the Otun Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun.

The suspects, Babatunde Ologunja, Olusola Babatunde and Olufemi Lawal, and others still at large, allegedly conspired to dispossess Balogun of about N300m.

Lekan, who is next in line to the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, represented the Oyo South Senatorial District on the platform of the defunct Alliance for Democracy in the National Assembly between 1999 and 2003.

His brother, Dr Kola Balogun, who currently represents the district at the Senate, had petitioned the EFCC as a concerned member of the Aliwo family and sought the commission’s intervention in the matter.

Kola feared that his brother might have been manipulated by the suspects as he was unable to come to terms with the incident.

He wrote in the petition, “This request became necessary, because we believe strongly that the victim has been hypnotised; he is not in a position to admit it and his health condition is deteriorating.”

According to the EFCC, preliminary investigation into the allegation revealed that for the past four years, the suspects had consistently collected various sums of money from the victim.

It was learnt that the sums were not attached to any particular project and no receipts were issued to indicate clear transactions between the parties.

However, the suspects were said to have received the money through bank transfers from their victim.

The commission was said to have marked for forfeiture four vehicles and six landed properties linked to the suspects.

The EFCC said it was on the trail of other members of the syndicate and that its investigation into the deal was continuing. Punch