An Ikeja High Court on
Monday granted bail to
Jonathan Okoli, President of
Aguiyi Ironsi International
Market otherwise known as
Ladipo Market, standing trial
for an alleged N52 million
fraud.
Justice Olabisi Akinlade
admitted Okoli’s bail in the
sum of N5 million, with two
sureties in like sum.
Akinlade said the sureties
must be residents in Lagos
State and deposed to an
affidavit of means.
She further directed that one
of the sureties must own a
landed property in Lagos
State.
“Both sureties must produce
three years tax clearance
payable to the Lagos State
Government which should be
verified by the Lagos State
Internal Revenue Services
(LIRS).
“The accused must give an
undertaking to be of good
behaviour and must not go
to the market to cause
trouble,” Akinlade said.
The judge warned that the
court would not hesitate to
revoke Okoli’s bail if there
was concrete evidence that
the accused was causing
problems at the spare parts
market.
She adjourned the matter till
July 2 for trial.
Okoli was arraigned on April
22 by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) on a three-count
charge of obtaining money
by false pretences and
stealing.
The EFCC counsel, Mr Anslem
Ozioko, had alleged that the
accused had between 2009
and 2010, obtained a total
sum of N52 million from
members of Aguiyi Ironsi
International Market Traders
Union.
Ozioko had said the money
was entrusted to Okoli for
the payment of Trade
Permits and Auto Dealers
fees by members of the
association.
He had alleged that the
accused fraudulently diverted
the money, instead of
making the payments to the
Lagos State Government and
the Mushin Local Government
Council.
According to him, Okoli’s
alleged offences contravened
Section 1(3) of the Advance
Fee Fraud and Other Fraud
Related Offences Act of 2006.
Ozioko had said it also
contravened Section 390(
(b) and (9) of the Criminal
Law of Lagos State of
Nigeria, 2003.
The offences for which Okoli
is being charged attract
between seven and twenty
(20) years imprisonment.
The accused had pleaded not
guilty to the charge. (NAN)