The anti-graft agency Thursday told Justice Adeyinka Faaj of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan how one of the suspects undergoing trial in an N8billion currency scam allegedly short-changed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the tune of N1.3billion under the guise of mutilated currencies emanating from Wema Bank’s vault.
The allegation came to the fore during the second batch trial of the case.
Counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), alleged that the fourth defendant, Oni Ademola Dolapo, had in the commission’s confessional statement revealed how she short-changed the apex bank to the tune of over N1.3billion allegedly stolen from 173 boxes from CBN vault.
According to Jacobs, the accused person was alleged to have reported that over N1.7billion of N1,000 notes instead of N333million from boxes deposited by his bank to the CBN were multilated.
The suspect was also alleged to have purchased substantial properties from the proceeds of the fraud. Some of the properties, according to the EFCC included four plots of lands at Eleyele Ibadan, valued at N3million, three acres of land at Ona-Ara, Ibadan, two acres of land at Ido local Government, Ibadan, which he acquired in 2012, which he claimed were acquired through proceeds from the mutilated naira notes deal.
On the fifth accused, Afolabi Olunike Esther, the EFCC counsel said she confessed to have made N30million from the deal.
She was also said to own properties like filling stations, petrol truck, borehole drilling machine, Kia Cerrato, a house at No 15, Akuru Oluyole extension built before she was transferred to the section. She was said to have also revealed to the anti-graft agency that she owned an old house around Faleke Challenge area which she bought from an Ijebu man for N7million and renovated with about N4million in 2012.
Afolabi was also said to be having a sum of N10million in a first generation bank account.
The sixth accused person, Ademola Ebenezer Adewale, through his counsel, O.E Ige and D.G. Olufokunbi, pleaded with the court to grant bail because of his alleged minimal involvement in the deal.
The bail applications was also adjourned till June 19 for ruling.
Earlier, the agency also opposed bail applications for bankers involved in the N8billion mutilated currency scam.
The anti-graft agency maintained that some of the accused persons had made startling confessional statements that they actually committed the crime for which they were charged, while the investigation lasted.
The court presided over by Justice Adeyinka Faaj was also told that the (CBN) was the whistle blower in the case involving six of its middle level officers who have either been dismissed or placed on indefinite suspension.
Other banks involved are the Ecobank, First Bank, Sterling, Wema Bank, FCMB, Access Bank and two others.
The EFCC counsel told Justice Faaj that the suspects allegedly poured raw acid on about 107 boxes containing N3.960billion, stressing that the commission also discovered that over 8,000 boxes that were yet to be opened were kept in the strong rooms of the CBN.
All the counsel to the accused persons faulted Jacobs, claim that the accused would jump bail.
The lawyers who quoted several cases to justify why the accused should be admitted to bail, said the offence for which they were charged was a bailable one, adding that all the suspects have been co-operating with the EFCC by always appearing before the anti-graft agency for five consecutive times spanning January to May.
Oke argued that an order for accelerated hearing cannot be a substitute to freedom and accessibility, adding that it would be fair to allow counsel to have unlimited access to the clients for information that may be needed at any time.
He added that the court should not entertain any fear or only consider the risk of jumping bail.
Another lawyer, Lana, who is the counsel for the 5th and 8th accused persons, argued that the prosecution only read out damaging parts of the statements given by the accused, leaving out other parts that are favourable to them. Stressing that his client would not jump bail, he said the property of his clients had been confiscated and yet he did not jump bail. In addition, he told the court that the EFCC had earlier granted the accused administrative bail and they did not run away.
“On the argument of the prosecution that the accused could interfere with witnesses in bank, he failed to show an evidence to back up his claims. There is no evidence except the one made in EFCC custody, to link the accused with the mutilated money. Your lordship has an unfettered power to admit the accused to bail,” he submitted.
Like others, Olalekan Ojo, counsel to the 2nd and 3rd defendant, alluding to a previous case, Suleiman vs C.O.P (2008) HNWLR part 1089 pg 298, urged the court not to rely on sentiment but law and law alone.
To him, for the mere fact that accused jumped bail in a previous case should not hinder the court from granting bail to the accused persons.
Notwithstanding the positions of the counsel above, the EFCC lawyer stood his ground, saying the offences allegedly committed by the accused persons were so overwhelming that granting them bail would not be good for the case, adding that the accused have multiple cases and there was high propensity that they would jump bail if granted.
Still justifying why they should not be granted bail, the EFCC told the court how one of the accused allegedly admitted that he actually committed the offence but was afraid to opt out because he was afraid he could be killed.
“He is even afraid of his colleagues. So, is it not better if the accused is kept in prison custody than to be exposed to those he is afraid of. In view of his fear that his colleagues could kill him, it is better to keep him in protective custody. These are the things before the court. Should the accused persons walk home free? I urge your lordship to refuse these bail applications. We are ready for the trial even if it is tomorrow. You can order accelerated hearing” Jacobs said.
However, he acknowledged the fact that while accused 1-3(CBN staff) had multiple cases against them, the 4th-8th accused person had only one case hanging on them.
“The family of one of the accused persons, when he was hiding himself, bundled him and took him to the police who in turn brought him to us. The family said the name it had build for years would not be allowed to spoil,” EFCC said.
Justice Faaj then adjourned the case to Friday, June 19, 2015 for ruling on the applications for bail so as to commence the second batch of the case which was still on as at the time of this report. Cc: Ishilove, lalasticlala http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/how-banker-short-changed-cbn-of-n1-3billion-efcc-tells-court/211807/ |
