Court Clears Businesswoman Of N350m Fraud Allegation, As Police Withdraw Case

An Ikeja Special Offences Court has discharged Lagos-based businesswoman Rukayyat Dantata of a N350 million fraud charge after the police formally withdrew the case.

Justice Rahman Oshodi struck out the two-count charge on Tuesday following a notice of discontinuance filed by the Office of the Inspector-General of Police and moved by Morufu Animashaun, a legal officer with the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID), Alagbon Annex, Ikoyi.

Dantata, who owns Adat Ventures, had been standing trial since September 15, 2024, over allegations that she defrauded a Bureau de Change consultancy firm of N350 million under false pretences.

She was charged with offences bordering on cheating and obtaining money by false pretence, said to contravene the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Following her not-guilty plea at arraignment, Justice Oshodi had granted her bail in the sum of N30 million with two sureties in like sum, mandating tax clearance and verification of residential and office addresses, along with the deposit of her international passport.

However, at the resumed hearing on Tuesday, the police prosecution informed the court that the ForceCID, on the instruction of the Commissioner of Police in charge, had opted to discontinue the matter.

Animashaun, appearing for the police, urged the court to strike out the charges accordingly.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr Muiz Banire, who represented Dantata alongside D. Igbodo, said he had no objection to the prosecution’s application.

Opposition, however, came from Genesis Bandodo, counsel to the nominal complainant, the Bureau de Change firm.

Bandodo alleged that the police had compromised the investigation and requested an adjournment to allow the court time to consider a petition his client had filed against the withdrawal of the case.

Responding, Dr Banire told the court that the said petition had already been reviewed and dismissed by the relevant police authorities, clearing the way for the withdrawal to proceed.

In his ruling, Justice Oshodi acknowledged the withdrawal and held that the case was properly struck out. “By the concession of the parties, the case is struck out,” the judge declared.

He also noted that no witnesses had testified in the matter since Dantata’s arraignment, and emphasised that Section 71 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, 2015, permits the prosecution to withdraw charges at any stage.

Accordingly, Justice Oshodi discharged Rukayyat Dantata of the allegations and ordered the release of all bail conditions and instruments used in securing her release, including her international passport.