‘I’m not on the run’
A businesswoman, Ese Cynthia Daniel, yesterday faulted the police for declaring her wanted for allegedly absconding over a N750 million fraud case.
She said she went abroad for medical reasons and would present herself to the police as soon as she returned.
“I will visit the police station to answer any questions they may have as soon as I return to Nigeria after my treatment.
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“I have already begun the process of reaching out to the police to provide further clarity on my medical condition and my expected date of return,” she said in a statement yesterday.
Daniel explained that she entered into a business transaction to procure dollars for a banker, Ms. Temitope Lawanson.
She said: “It was a term of the agreement that Lawanson would pay the naira equivalent of the dollar sum to facilitate the procurement of the dollars.
“I informed Lawanson that the required dollars would be sourced from third-party companies who are licensed to provide dollars for sale and thereafter I would remit the dollars to her.
“In performance of the agreement, I obtained and remitted some dollars to her. Unfortunately, some of the companies we dealt with failed to provide the required dollars after obtaining the naira amounts of the money.
“When these persons failed to remit the funds after repeated demands to do so, I petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“I have provided the EFCC with all the evidence including my bank accounts that show that the monies I received from my client were transferred to these third parties.
“The third parties have admitted receiving the funds and promised to return them. They even signed post-dated cheques for the amounts being owed.
“However, these cheques were returned without any value being received. The EFCC is currently investigating the matter.”
She added that Lawanson also filed a petition at the EFCC, adding that there are court cases pending on the matter.
Daniel regretted that despite efforts to recover the funds, Lawanson went on to file other complaints at different police stations across the country on the same issue being investigated by the EFCC and now pending in courts.
“I have informed the police that I had to travel to receive medical treatment and I provided a medical report to support this.
“I have also informed the police of when I will be back in Nigeria and craved their indulgence to grant me some time to attend as soon as I return.
“It has come as a huge shock to me that I would be declared wanted in spite of these facts. I note that the ‘wanted’ notice that has been bandied about to all specifically states it is ‘confidential’ and ‘for police use only’.
“I am surprised that a Police Gazette meant for Police use only is being used by a private individual to harass and intimidate me.
“It is clear from the above that I have not committed any fraud against Lawanson. She is aware that I am not in possession of any of her money.
“She is aware of the identities of the third parties who received the monies. She has been provided with copies of all the post-dated cheques these parties signed over to me along with all their promises to repay the amounts paid to them,” Ese said.