Bad Guy: Man Forges Own Death Certificate To Commit Fraud

This bad sharp guy Banjo Omotosho and his wife, Ebun, actually faked his death certificate to dupe an insurance company of some cool cash.

For 35-year-old Banjo Omotosho, and his wife, 29-year-old wife, Ebun, prison beckons after he forged his own death certificate so as to defraud a leading insurance company in the country, Niger Insurance Company, of the sum of N1.08m.

The carefully crafted crime which has landed the couple in trouble, was said to have been detected at the insurance company located on the Anthony Village, Lagos.

It was learnt that Banjo had approached the insurance company with his wife to take a life insurance policy under the names, Ojo Alabi Kingsley and Ojo Motunrayo, respectively.

Banjo was said to have claimed that Ebun (Motunrayo) was his daughter and hence his next of kin. The life insurance was said to have been taken in May, while a premium of N50, 000 was paid to the company.

However on August 4, Ebun now Motunrayo, approached the company and said her father had died in an accident, with the hope of claiming the benefit which stood at N1, 080, 000 attached to the insurance policy.

She also allegedly presented a police report, and a death certificate signed by one Dr. Lawal of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, dated May 29, to back her proof. The medical report indicated that Banjo had died of hemorrhagic shock.

In addition, Ebun allegedly obtained an attending physician certificate that Alabi Ojo Kingsley had been under his (doctor’s) care for two years, which was co-signed by two law firms located in Gbagada area of the state.

Falling for the scam, the insurance company commenced the process of verification for onward payment of the claims, only to discover that they were on the verge of falling for a well organised fraud. Their saving grace was when they made inquiries and found out from residents of the purported address where the ‘deceased’ lived, they no one bearing the name lived in the area.

A trap was laid for Ebun when the company put a call for her to come for the money and she was arrested. She revealed that it was her husband who actually set the scam ball rolling. Banjo too was arrested and the couple were charged and arraigned at the Somolu Magistrate’s Court, before on three counts of conspiracy, forgery and intent to defraud.

The charges read in part:
That you, Banjo Omotosho and Ebun Omotosho, on September 22, at about 10am at Niger Insurance Plc on Ikorodu Road, Anthony Village, fraudulently forged the death certificate of one Ojo Alabi Kingsley, with intent to claim N1,080,000 on behalf of Ojo Motunrayo who is his next of kin.

The police prosecutor, ASP Akinlabi Adegoke, said the offences were punishable under sections 361, 21 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011