Oyo Attorney General Takes Over N34.25 Million Fraud Case

The Oyo State Ministry of Justice has formally taken over the prosecution of a criminal case involving Ajayi Oluwabukola, who is accused of defrauding Sunshine International School, Ibadan, of ₦34.25 million under false pretences. The move was announced during a sitting at Magistrate’s Court 2, Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Wednesday, July 17, 2025.

The application to assume control of the case was presented by State Counsel Q.C. Abraham on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and submitted to Magistrate Moruf Mudashiru. The DPP requested that the police prosecutor hand over the original case file to enable the Ministry to proceed with the matter. The court adjourned the case to September 17 for further hearing. The defendant, Oluwabukola, was absent from the session, with her legal team citing health-related issues.

Oluwabukola was first arraigned on December 30, 2024, on a three-count charge related to conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences, and theft. She allegedly deceived the school’s proprietress, Princess Taiwo Williams, into transferring funds to her under the guise of assisting in purchasing supplies from China for the school’s end-of-year event. When the goods were not delivered, investigations revealed that the accused had allegedly perpetrated similar frauds in the past.

Following her initial arraignment, she was granted bail but was detained at Agodi Correctional Centre until her bail conditions were met. Subsequently, her daughter, a student of the school, petitioned the state governor and law enforcement agencies, accusing the school’s proprietress of harassment, a claim that led to official investigations.

Oluwabukola has faced allegations of related fraud in the past. In February 2024, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned her before the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan for allegedly obtaining over ₦58 million from multiple victims under false pretences of supplying carbonated drinks. One of the charges involved ₦23.1 million obtained from a victim under the guise of supplying four truckloads of beverages.

Despite pleading not guilty in the EFCC case, the court denied her bail and ordered her remanded in EFCC custody, citing concerns over her flight risk and previous breach of administrative bail. The prosecution revealed that additional petitions against her were under review and could lead to further charges.