A Lagos court has remanded a Nigerian-American, Oluwatobi Adegoke, in a correctional centre over allegations that he defrauded two prospective vehicle buyers of more than $320,000 in a car import deal.
Adegoke was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja on 8 October on a count of stealing.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The EFCC said in a statement on Monday that Adegoke was arrested in July over alleged links to a syndicate operating from the United States.
According to the commission, the defendant allegedly advertised a 2024 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG to prospective buyers in Nigeria, claiming he could purchase and ship the vehicle to them.
The agency alleged that two buyers paid a combined sum exceeding $320,000 towards the transaction.
Earlier reports by the commission identified the alleged victims as Ikechukwu Osita Ifeabunike and Godson Azubuike Amans, who reportedly paid $145,000 and $175,000, respectively, towards the vehicle purchase.
However, the charge presented in court reportedly cited $680,000 allegedly belonging to Ifeabunike and accused Adegoke of dishonestly converting the money after it was transferred to the account of his company, Omosco Auto Sales LLC.
The charge further alleged that the money was intended for the purchase of a 2022 G-Wagon from a person identified as Robinson.
The EFCC’s account did not explain the discrepancy between the $320,000 cited in its statement and the $680,000 stated in the charge. It also did not reconcile the different vehicle models mentioned.
Following Adegoke’s plea, the EFCC’s lawyer, Arazeem Adebayo, asked the court to remand him in a correctional centre and fix a date for trial.
Defence counsel, Olalekan Abiodun, requested that the defendant be kept in EFCC custody pending the filing of a bail application, but the request was rejected.
Justice Abike-Fadipe subsequently ordered that Adegoke be remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.
The court adjourned the case until 13 January 2027 for trial.
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