Months after popular media personality Stephanie Coker married her knight in shining armour, David Olumide Aderinokun, in two spectacular weddings, the public receives shocking news. Aderinokun was arraigned, today, in a Lagos criminal court for fraud, theft, and forgery crimes, among other charges. Further, unlike the recent case of the State of Lagos v. Burna Boy over the armed robbery of Mr. 2kay where Burna was granted bail, the court allegedly did not grant bail to Aderinokun.
This is a tough pill to swallow for a new bride who spent February and August 2017 performing her traditional (in Nigeria) and white (in Greece) weddings, respectively. Coker, however, may have bigger issues to worry about including whether she can be implicated in the charges against her husband. The prosecuting agency is still investigating the alleged crimes and it is possible that they may deem her a co-conspirator. It all depends on what they uncover. She is married to Aderinokun and the money he allegedly stole etc., depending on when he allegedly stole it, presumably benefitted the family unit. We will have to wait and see what shoe drops next, in this case, to discuss any possible legal ramifications against her, if any.
In the meantime, suffice it to say that while Nigerians are quick to believe that every person who is accused of a crime, is 99.9% guilty, there is, in fact, a presumption of innocence under the law, until proven guilty. So, hold your conclusions until actual evidence emerges, if any.
-Ms. Uduak
“The Lagos State Government on Wednesday arraigned a brother of late founder of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) and property developer, David Olumide Aderinokun and a staff of the New Town Development Authority (NTDA), Balogun Adeniyi Abdul-Wakil before an Igbosere Magistrate Court over alleged conspiracy, forgery, stealing and property fraud on parcels of land in Lekki Peninsula estimated at 2678.068 square metres.
Aderinokun, who is the husband of media personality, Stephanie Coker, was arraigned separately on an eight-count charge bordering on the offence before Chief Magistrate Olufolake Oshin, and alongside Abdul-Wakil on another eight-count charge before the same court.
Aderinokun, trading under the name and style of Davade Properties, was alleged to have conspired with others now at large sometime in February 2016 to commit felony to wit stealing, forgery and obtaining money under false pretense.
According to the charge, Aderinokun criminally “converted a piece of land measuring approximately 1764.44 square metres situate at Plot 7B, Block CBD.1, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, property of Ocean Trust Limited for your own use and to the use of others, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 287 of the Criminal Law Cap C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.”
He was alleged to have forged a Deed of Assignment with file number DLS/GC/110323 with the intention of using same to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
Also, Aderinokun was alleged to have fraudulently obtained N18 million from one Mrs Jumoke Fola-Alade on the pretence that he was the owner of the said property contrary to and punishable under Section 314 of the Criminal Law Cap C17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State.
In the other charge, Aderinokun and Abdul-Wakil were alleged to have conspired with others now at large to fraudulently convert a piece of land measuring approximately 913.628 square metres situated at Plot 44, Block 77, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1 in Eti Osa for their use…”
–PM News has the full story.
The gorgeous bride at her white wedding in Greece
Highlights of the traditional wedding
Photo Credit: Akintayotemi/BellaNaija