45-year-old Man Arraigned For Allegedly Duping Soun Of N39.5m

The Oyo State Police Command has arraigned one Ali Muhammed for allegedly defrauding the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Olaoye, of N39,500 on the pretext of selling him a car purportedly on auction by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

Muhammed, 45, was arraigned at a Magistrate Court in Ogbomoso on December 23 on a 4-count charge bordering on defrauding the first-class monarch.

The suspect, according to charge sheet MOC/234c/C/2025, presented himself as the NCS Comptroller in Oyo State with a promise to auction a car to the monarch.

The act was described as impersonation, contrary to and punishable under Section 484 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38. Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

Two of the charges read: “ That you Ali Muhammed ‘m’ and others now at large, between the 12th day of October, 2025, and 19th day of October, 2025, at Oja-Igbo area, Ogbomoso, in the Ogbomoso Magisterial district did Conspire with one another to commit felony to wit: Obtaining money under false pretence, stealing and impersonation and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

“That you Ali Muhammed ‘m’ and others now at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial district with intent to defraud obtain the sum #39,500,000:00 from Oba Ghandi Olaoye ‘m’ under the pretence of selling aunctioned vehicles and bags of rice to him which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.”

Muhammed pleaded not guilty to the charges.

He was thereafter granted bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties living within the court’s jurisdiction.

The court subsequently adjourned the hearing to January 28, 2026.