7 suspects arrested for defrauding billionaire, Folorunsho Alakija’s NGO

The suspects: Vincent and Florence Ayewah

The EFCC has announced the arrest of seven employees of ‘The Rose of Sharon’ organisation for alleged abuse of office, conspiracy, forgery, impersonation and theft of N3m.

The Rose of Sharon is a Non-Governmental Organisation which caters for the need of the underprivileged in the society.

Reports say the chief executive officer of the organisation, Folorunsho Alakija wrote a petition to the EFCC alleging that Vincent Ayewah, one of her employees, fraudulently misappropriated the funds meant for the beneficiaries of the foundation’s empowerment scheme.

She further alleged that the suspect stole various cheques withdrawing monies meant for orphans and widows in the care of the NGO.

Folorunsho Alakija was recently named by Ventures Africa as the world’s richest black woman.

Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC  spokesman said Ayewah forged cheques of the Foundation’s bank account, got his sister, Florence Ayewah and others to cash the cheques by presenting them with fake identity cards.

Vincent Ayewah confessed to the crime saying, “I divert them and get my siblings and friends to cash at banks, I also arrange ID cards bearing the name on cheques with their faces on it for bank clearance.”

Florence was arrested at a Stanbic IBTC bank in Lagos while trying to cash a forged Cheque number 03378 in the sum of N97, 000 in favour of one Ms Olubunmi Juliana Ishola.

Ayewah further confessed that he has bought an Honda Accord car from the proceeds of the crime.

All the suspects will soon be arraigned in court.