After three years in prison, producer, Seun Egbegbe, regains freedom

By David Adebayo

After spending three years in prison, popular socialite and movie producer, Seun Egbegbe, has regained freedom amid jubilation from his supporters.

It will be recalled that the filmmaker was remanded on February 10, 2017, after he allegedly obtained money under false pretences from no fewer than 40 Bureaus de Change (BDC) operators in different parts of Lagos State.

The socilite was also accused of swindling the BDC operators by claiming that he had Naira to change into foreign currencies and vice versa.

Egbegbe was popular on the social scene and movie industry as he had close relationship with top Yoruba actresses in the Yoruba-speaking movie industry.

Egbegebe was docked for series of frauds involving N39,098,100, $90,000 and £12,550.

Seun Egbegbe alongside one Oyekan Ayomide were first arraigned on February 10, 2017, before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo, on 36 counts bordering on advance fee fraud.

The duo was later joined by Lawal Kareem, Olalekan Yusuf and Muyideen Shoyombo on 49-count charge.

However, on October 11, a Federal High Court, Ikoyi in Lagos found Egbegbe guilty of just one of the 44-count charge against him and set him free.

Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo declared that 43 of the 44 count charges were quashed because of lack of witnesses to substantiate their claims.

She also held that the Prosecution had failed to produce evidence to be backed with witnesses on counts 4, 19 and 21.

The judge also said that police tampered with the money recovered from the suspects and ordered that all the monies recovered from Egbegbe as evidence should be returned to him.