Lagos court remands Nigerian wanted in US for $1.24m fraud

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday granted the request of the Attorney-General of the Federation to remand a Nigerian, Lawrence Folawunmi, who is wanted in the United States of America over alleged email compromise, aiding and abetting wire fraud, and wire fraud involving about $1.24m.

Justice Akintayo Aluko, who presided over the matter, ordered Folawunmi’s remand following an application filed under the Extradition Act (Cap. E25), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and moved by a lawyer from the AGF’s office.

The defendant was arrested by officers of the Interpol Unit, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Dr Kayode Egbetokun.

According to court documents, Folawunmi is named in criminal case No. 3:21-00276, filed on November 15, 2021, by a grand jury sitting at the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division.

The indictment was signed by the grand jury foreperson and certified by the clerk and deputy clerk of the court. It was also endorsed by Mark H. Wildasin, Acting United States Attorney, and Taylor J. Phillips.

United States authorities alleged that Folawunmi fraudulently caused a firm to change its payment information in at least eight transactions, leading to the unlawful transfer of approximately $1.24m.

While urging the court to grant the remand order, counsel from the AGF’s office told the court that the application was necessary pending the hearing and determination of the extradition proceedings instituted against the defendant.

Counsel to the defendant, W. Liadi, did not oppose the remand application but requested a short adjournment to enable him to file responses to the extradition suit.

In a ruling on Tuesday, Justice Aluko ordered that Folawunmi be remanded at a facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the determination of the extradition proceedings.

The judge subsequently adjourned the case to January 21, 2025, for the hearing of the extradition application.

In an affidavit filed in support of the application and deposed to by Ekeanyanwu Oluchi Angela of the Central Authority Unit, International Criminal Justice Cooperation Department, Office of the AGF, the Federal Government stated that the United States formally requested Folawunmi’s arrest and extradition, accompanied by the necessary documents.

The affidavit further stated that the AGF was satisfied that, under U.S. law, Folawunmi would not be detained or tried for any offence other than those for which his surrender is sought.

It added that the alleged offences are not political in nature and that the extradition request was not made to persecute him on the grounds of race, religion, nationality, or political opinion.

The AGF also assured the court that Folawunmi would not suffer prejudice at trial if extradited and would not be punished or restricted in his liberty on discriminatory grounds, maintaining that the alleged offences are not trivial and that surrendering him would not be unjust, oppressive, or excessively punitive.

The affidavit further stated that no criminal proceedings are pending against Folawunmi in Nigeria in respect of the offences for which the United States seeks his extradition.(Punch)