Filmmaker Seun Egbegbe: They jailed me for six years for a crime I did not commit

Filmmaker Olajide Kareem, also known as Seun Egbegbe, claims he was imprisoned six years ago for a crime he ‘did not commit.’

On February 10, 2017, the film producer was sentenced to prison for obtaining N39 million, $90,000, and £12,550 fraudulently from over forty Bureau De Change Operators in Lagos between 2015 and March 2017. Egbegbe, the boss of Ebony Production, defrauded the BDC operators by claiming to have naira to exchange for foreign currencies and vice versa. Ikoyi Federal High Court found him guilty of only one of the 44 counts against him.

Egbegbe was released from prison on October 11, 2022, after serving 42 months.

In an interview with BBC, Egbegbe described his incarceration as a blessing in disguise as his prison experience helped him identify his enemies disguised as friends around him.

“Those I thought were my friends before I had that issue, I found out were my enemies after I returned from prison. None of my explanations will be acceptable to some people, and they will keep saying it’s a lie because there are too many enemies around me, but I thank God for life.

I believe God made me go to where I went for a purpose because my eyes were open to a few things while I was there. The crime I was incarcerated for six years over, I didn’t commit, but I am happy I went there to know what living on earth means. 95% of the people surrounding me were enemies, not my friends. If this had not happened, I would have lived a worthless life because I believe those around me are my friends.”he said