The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested two officials of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) formerly called prison, Emmanuel Oluwaniyi a Deputy Controller and Hemeson Edson Edwin over their alleged role in the incident that allowed an inmate, Hope Olusegun Aroke to perpetrate S1million fraud from prison.

The duo who were Deputy Comptrollers of Nigerian Correctional Service were allegedly giving exaggerated medical reports that warranted a convicted internet fraudster, who is serving a 24-year jail term, being given a referral to be treated outside the facility.

Statement from the anti-graft commission stated that the first suspect, Oluwaniyi, who is the Controller, Kirikiri Maximum Prison, as well as the second suspect, Edwin, who is in charge of the medical facility, were arrested on Monday, November 25, 2019.

Aroke, also known as H.Money had masterminded a mega scam to the tune of over $1m scam, from prison, using a network of accomplices.

Aroke was said to be one of the two Malaysia-based Nigerian undergraduate fraudsters arrested by the EFCC towards the end of 2012 at the 1004 Housing Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos, following a tip-off.

Aroke, who hails from Okene In Kogi State, had claimed to be a student of Computer Science at the Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University, Malaysia.

The commission stated, “When Aroke was arrested, a search conducted by EFCC operatives on his apartment led to the recovery of several items such as laptops, iPad, traveling documents, cheque books, flash drives, internet modem, and three exotic cars – a Mercedes Benz Jeep, One 4Matic Mercedes Benz Car and a Range Rover Sport SUV.

“He was convicted by Justice Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos High Court, Ikeja on two count-charge of obtaining money by false pretence, cheque cloning, wire transfer and forgery. He was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment on each of the two counts.”

In this article: