Alleged marriage scam: Court grants accused bail

Justice Joyce Abdulmaleek of Federal High Court, Ibadan, on Friday granted the bail application filed by one Semilore Egbedayo accused of defrauding three American women to the tune of $3,734. Abdulmaleek held that the offences were bailable and that Egbedayo, 26, had not failed to appear before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) whenever he was called to do so. “I hereby admit the defendant to bail in the sum of N1 million with two reliable sureties and one of the sureties shall deposit the original of his Certificate of Occupancy (CoO) with the Federal High Court, Ibadan. “One of the sureties must be a worker with the Oyo State Government and must deposit letter of his first and last promotion with the registry of the court,” the Judge ordered. She adjourned the case to April 11 for commencement of trial. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Egbedayo was arraigned on a three-count charge, bordering on obtaining money under false pretense and forgery. According to Mr Ben Ube, counsel to EFCC, the accused between 2015 and 2016 at various times collected a total sum of $3,734 from three American ladies under the pretense that he would marry them. “Egbedayo told them that the sum was for traditional preparation for the grand wedding ceremony that will still come. “He used his versatility with the internet to defraud Para Lee-Johnson, Doris Cabana and Trenda Clegg,” Ube explained. The prosecutor said that, if convicted, the accused was liable to 20 years in prison without any option of fine.