The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, on Friday, 7
September, arraigned a Business
Manager with the United Bank of
Africa Plc, University of Ilorin Branch,
Sirajudeen Abdullahi alongside two others: Segun Adelodun and John
Afolabi before a Kwara State High
Court sitting in Ilorin . The three accused persons, who were
arraigned on an eight count charge,
allegedly conspired with others (now
at large), to obtain the sum of N59.6
Million, from the University of Ilorin
Personnel Cost Account with the bank. One of the counts reads: "That you
Sirajudeen Abdullahi, Segun Adelodun,
John Afolabi, Oloruntoba Akinyele
(now at large), Badmus Kabir
Omojasola (now at large), and John
Balogun (now at large) on or about the 14th day of September,2011 at
Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable court with intent to
defraud conspired to obtain Fifty
Nine Million, Six Thousand ,Two
Hundred and Fifty naira Only (N59,006,250) from the University of
Ilorin Personnel Cost Account in
possession of the United Bank of
Africa Plc by false pretence contrary
to Section 8(a) and 1(3) of the
Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act No 14 of 2006". Counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo
informed the court that the
prosecution had filed an amended
eight count charge dated August 29,
2012 , pursuant to Section 185(A) of
the Criminal Procedure Act of the State and urged the court to invite
the accused persons to take their
plea. The presiding judge, Justice
Mahmood Gafar obliged the
application and the three accused
persons pleaded not guilty to the charge. Oyedepo then asked the court to fix
a date for the commencement of trial
and remand the accused persons in
custody. Responding, Bashir Oladipo, counsel to
the first accused, Sirajudeen
Abdullahi, said he was not against the
speedy commencement of trial but
prayed the court to admit his client
to bail as the offence for which he was docked is bailable. "We are
mindful that the granting of bail is at
the discretion of your Lordship. I
urge your Lordship to exercise your
discretion in favour of the accused
person.” Oladipo submitted. Counsel to the other accused
persons, Y.A. Dikko and O. T.
Olorunisola who appeared for Segun
Adelodun and John Afolabi
respectively, aligned themselves with
the position of Oladipo. However, Oyedepo objected to the
oral application for bail. He said
there are facts available to the
complainant which cannot be
presented except under oath. He
urged the court to insist on a formal bail application from the respondents
to enable the prosecution place facts
against the granting of bail before
the court. After listening to the arguments of
counsel, Justice Gafar ruled that the
defendants file a proper bail
application before the court and
adjourned to September 11, 2012 for
hearing of the bail application. He also ordered that the accused
persons be remanded in Police
custody.
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