The Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Lagos, has arraigned an employee of an investment company, Bello Saheed Samuel, before the Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged conspiracy and money laundering involving about ₦90 million.
Samuel, who worked in the finance department of the company, was accused of fraudulently diverting the firm’s funds for personal use, according to police authorities.
The arraignment, carried out under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, PSFU, CP Kayode Ojapinwa, followed a petition submitted by the affected company after it discovered discrepancies in its financial records.
Police investigators said that after the fraud was uncovered, the suspect allegedly fled Lagos with members of his family to an undisclosed location and severed all communication channels in an attempt to evade arrest.
According to the PSFU, operatives launched an extensive investigation that spanned several states in the South-West before eventually tracking and arresting the suspect at Oye-Ekiti Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
Preliminary investigations also revealed that Samuel allegedly laundered proceeds of the fraud through bank accounts belonging to friends and relatives in a bid to conceal the origin of the funds.
Police authorities disclosed that while Samuel is currently standing trial, investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest other individuals suspected to have been involved in the alleged crime.
Speaking on the development, CP Ojapinwa reaffirmed the commitment of the PSFU to combating financial crimes across the country.
He advised Nigerians and corporate organisations to ensure strict adherence to lawful financial transactions and strengthen internal control systems, especially in monitoring employees, to prevent insider fraud and related abuses.
