Wale Igbintade
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court in Lagos yesterday remanded a fake Army General, Bolarinwa Oluwasegun Abiodun, pending the hearing of his bail application.
The defendant was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 13-count charge, alleging that the defendant falsely represented himself as a General in the Nigerian army, and obtained the sum of N266,500, 000 from Kodef Clearing Resources Limited.
He was alleged to have carried out the acts under the pretence that the sum represented part of the amount expended to ‘press and process’ his appointment by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces as the Chief of Army Staff.
But he pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Count one of the charge read: “Bolarinwa Oluwasegun Abiodun between August 17, 2017, and December12, 2018, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court with intent to defraud, and whilst holding yourself out as a General in the Nigerian army obtained the sum of N23,300,000 from Kodef Clearing Resources Limited under the pretence that the sum represented part of the amount expended to ‘press and process’ your incoming appointment by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, as the Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army, which pretence you knew to be false.”
Part of the charge also reads, “Bolarinwa Oluwasegun Abiodun sometime in April, 2018 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court had in your possession a document containing false pretense titled: ‘Letter of Recommendation purportedly signed by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo recommended one Adebayo Rasaq Adebola with recruitment No: 77RRI/OG/S56/0032555, and Adeogun Emmanuel Adesola with recruitment No: 77RRI/OG/352/0123751 for employment into the Nigeria Army, which document you knew to be false.”
Upon his not guilty plea, the EFCC counsel, Abbas Omeiza Muhammed, urged the court to remand him.
But the defence counsel, Kayode Lawal, argued otherwise, and informed the court of his client’s application for bail.
However, the EFCC noted that it needed time to reply.
The defence lawyer informed the court that the defendant has been in the commission’s detention since January 12, 2022, and was brought from there.
According to him, “We have made several attempts to make the defendant get administrative bail.
“We have also been told by the commission to bring surety which we have complied with their term but to no avail.
“We will be praying the court for a short possible date, because this is the only option for the defendant to salvage his fundamental and constitutional rights.”
Justice Taiwo has adjourned till April 14, 2022, for hearing of the bail application.
