EFCC arraigns banker, 1 other over alleged N24m fraud
Andrew Orolua, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Office has arraigned Olamide Salvador and Richard Olusegun Olatunji before Justice Sherifat Solebo of the Special Offence Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on a five-count charge bordering on stealing, forgery and conspiracy to the tune of N24, 183, 120.
The first defendant, Salvador allegedly conspired with the second defendant, Olatunji, a manager in Stanbic IBTC and some others now at large to defraud one Foster Ene of the said sum of money.
Apart from the suspects on trial, the other alleged fraudsters currently on the run are Tiwa Onoja and Mary Osagie Abiodun.
They had jointly conspired to steal N18, 183, 120 Foster under the pretext of changing the said amount into dollars, the prosecution said, thereby, committing an offence contrary to Section 409 and Section 278 (1) (b) and (2) (f) of the Criminal Code of Lagos state.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them. In view of their plea, the prosecution counsel, G.C. Akaogu, asked for a trial date and prayed that the defendants be remanded in prison custody.
However, counsels to the defendants, I. T. Oyedepo and Abdulrahman Dirisu respectively, informed the court of bail applications on behalf of their clients.
Oyedepo, counsel to Salvador (first defendant) prayed the court to grant his client bail in liberal terms while Dirisu, counsel to Olatunji (second defendant), also pleaded same for his client, pending the determination of the case.
Justice Solebo granted each of the defendant’s bail in the sum of N10 million and two sureties in like sum. The sureties must be resident in Lagos with proof of residence, proof of employment and tax payment for the past three years.
One of the two sureties for each of the defendants must also be a property owner in Lagos, which will be verified by the registrar of the court.
Justice Solebo, however, ordered the defendants to be remanded in prison custody pending the fulfilment of their bail conditions and adjourned the matter to April 29 and 30.
