By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A popular filmmaker and Lagos socialite, Mr Olajide Kareem, otherwise known as Seun Egbegbe, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment by Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
He was convicted by the judge after he was found guilty of one of the 44-count charges levied against him by the police. The court held that he was guilty of count 19.
“Having considered the entirety of the circumstances and taking judicial notice of the allocutus, I hereby sentence the 1st Defendant (Kareem) to imprisonment for a term of seven years with hard labour, only in respect of Count 19 of the Amended Charge.
“The term is to begin from the very first date the 1st Defendant was detained in police custody and/or remanded in prison, whichever comes first. I so hold,” a part of the judgment delivered on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, and obtained by The Nation read.
In 2017, Seun Egbegbe, who once had a romantic affair with popular actress, Toyin Abraham, was arrested by the police for fraud.
The police accused the convict of obtaining money under a false pretence from some Bureaux De Change (BDC) operators in Lagos. He was said to have collected money to the tune of millions of Naira from them. He was subsequently arraigned along with one Oyekan Ayomide.
However, he pleaded not guilty and was remanded in prison custody on February 10, 2017. He was later granted bail but he was unable to meet the terms and remained in detention for 57 months of the trial.
During the trial, the police amended twice the charges and increased the number of defendants to five after the addition of Lawal Kareem, Olalekan Yusuf and Muyideen Shoyombo.
Meanwhile, Justice Oguntoyinbo accused the police of tampering with the pieces of evidence brought before the court, especially the money collected from Seun Egbegbe.
“From the avalanche of evidence before this honourable court, it is crystal clear the Nigeria Police tampered with the various sums of money collected from the 1st & 2nd Defendants. The serial number of the various sum of money was not recorded by the exhibit keeper nor the exhibit ledger tendered before this honourable court.
“The Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Police State Criminal Investigation & Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba and the entire Lagos Police Command and, sadly, its legal department have failed in the discharge of these solemn responsibilities to present the actual exhibits before this honourable court. I so hold.
“These law enforcement agencies should not be seen to play hanky – panky with crucial items necessary for the determination of issues of this ilk. I so hold.
“Therefore, I am inclined to direct the registrar of this honourable court to return the 1st & 2nd Defendant’s sums of money entered as exhibits before this honourable court back to the 1st and 2nd Defendants, respectively. I so hold,” the judge held.
