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Defendant denies aiding Badagry Prince, Semasa, in alleged N500m fraud

Afolabi Kazeem, the personal assistant/manager to Semasa James, a Badagry prince accused of defrauding his 26 siblings of their N500million inheritance has denied aiding or benefitting from the alleged fraud.
Kazeem, who is charged alongside Semasa over the purported inheritance fraud, made the denial Thursday while opening their defence at an Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos.
Semasa is one of the offsprings of late Oba Afolabi James of Kweme Land, Badagry, Lagos. He is also one of the administrators of his deceased father’s estate.
The prince faces a five-count charge of stealing, forging of company resolution, fraudulent disposing of trust property and forgery. While he and Kazeem are jointly charged with two counts of conspiracy to defraud and cheating.
Led in evidence by the defence counsel, Mr Martins Oyingbo, Kazeem told the court that he is a first cousin to the 27 warring princes and princesses and he was involved in the disbursement of funds from the estate.
“I am a first cousin to the children and my relationship with them is cordial, we have no issues, everyone is happy with each other.
“As relates with the estate, by virtue of the face of the work I do with Mr James (first defendant), the children come to me and I disburse funds from the estate,” he said.
Kazeem denied stealing N150million for himself or anyone from the estate as alleged in counts six and seven in the criminal charge.

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