Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and Wale Igbintade
Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday, remanded Speaker of the Ogun State House Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo and two other principal officers of the House in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N4.4billion fraud.
Olomu, was arraigned alongside the Director of Finance of the State Assembly, Oladayo Samuel, and the Clerk of the House, Adeyemo Taiwo.
The defendants entered the duck at about 10:08am on an 11-count charge of alleged conspiracy, forgery, and stealing.
The Speaker and other defendants were brought to the court in a hummer bus marked ABJ 445 AG by the EFCC.
During their arraignment, EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo urged the court to allow the defendants enter the duck and take their plea.
Subsequently, the charge was read and all the defendants pleaded not guilty to all the 11-count.
Following their plead of not guilty, counsel to the Speaker (1st defendant), Mr. Kehinde Ogunwumiju, informed the court that his client was already enjoying administrative bail granted by the EFCC.
He told the court that he had filed a bail application, but there was delayed due to correction in the title of the application.
He prayed the court to allow the first defendant remain in the custody of the EFCC pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
Also counsel to the 2nd and 3rd defendants, Akinyemi Aremu and Oluwole Aladedoy urged the court to grant their clients bail in liberal and affordable terms.
In his response, EFCC prosecutor, Oyedepo did not oppose the bail application, but left it to the discretion of the court.
He, however, urged the court to direct that failure to meet up with their respective bail conditions within a week, the defendants should be transferred to the Ogun State Correctional Centre, Abeokuta.
Ruling on their bail applications, Justice Osiagor granted the Oluomo bail in the sum of N300 million with two sureties, while the 2nd and 3rd Defendants, Oladayo Samuel, Adeyemo Taiwo were granted bail in the sum of N100 million each with two sureties in like sum.
The sureties must have landed properties within the jurisdiction of the court, and the title documents of the properties are to be deposited with the court registrar.
The defendants are also to deposit their travel documents to the court registry.
The judge also ordered the defendants to be remanded at the custody of the EFCC for maximum of one week following, which they would be transferred to the Nigerian Correctional Centre at Abeokuta.
Also one of the sureties must be a grade level 14 officer in either federal or state civil service.
The EFCC in its 11-count stated: “That you Oluomo Olakunle Taiwo, Oladayo Samuel, Adeyemo Adedeji Taiwo and Adeyanju Nimota Amoke (now at large) sometimes in 2019 in Abeokuta within the jurisdiction of this honorable Court conspired amongst yourselves to USE the total sum of N2,475,000,000.00 (Two Billion, Four Hundred and Seventy Five Million Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: stealing from the treasury of Ogun State House of Assembly and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 18 (a), 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
“That you Oluomo Olakunle Taiwo, Oladayo Samuel, Adeyemo Adedeji Taiwo and Adeyanju Nimota Amoke (now at large) between June,2019 and June,2020 in Abeokuta within the jurisdiction of this honorable Court used the total sum of N900,000,000.00 (Nine Hundred Million Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activities to wit: stealing from the treasury of Ogun State House of Assembly and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.”
Part of it stated: “That you Oluomo Olakunle Taiwo, Oladayo Samuel, Adeyemo Adedeji Taiwo and Adeyanju Nimota Amoke (now at large) between July,2020 and July,2021 in Abeokuta within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court used the total sum of N900,000,000.00 (Nine Hundred Million Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activities to wit: stealing from the treasury of Ogun State House of Assembly and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
“That you Oluomo Olakunle Taiwo, Oladayo Samuel, Adeyemo Adedeji Taiwo and Adeyanju Nimota Amoke (now at large) between August,2021 and December,2021 in Abeokuta within the jurisdiction of this honorable Court used the total sum of N375,000,000.00 (Three Hundred and Seventy Five Million Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activities to wit: stealing from the treasury of Ogun State House of Assembly and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.”
