Bizman, Coy Charged With Stealing $60,334

Kemisola Oye 

A businessman, Oladipo Jimoh has been arraigned before a Lagos Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja over alleged stealing 60,334 USD.

Jimoh was arraigned alongside his company, Barma Energy Resource Limited before Justice Mojisola Dada by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). 

They were arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on stealing.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendant and his company stole the sum of 60,334 USD from Vale Blue Limited.

The prosecution submitted that the defendant and his company, sometime between 11 October 2022 and July 2023, allegedly converted the said sum of money, property of Vale Blue Limited to his personal use.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened the provision of sections 278 (1)(b)(2)(f) and 285 (1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011

After pleading not guilty to all the counts, the EFCC counsel, Mr Gabriel Akaogu, prayed the court for a trial date and also asked that the defendant be remanded at a correctional facility.

Reacting to this submission, the defendant’s counsel, Ms A. K. Akpabio, told the court that she had filed a bail application dated 13 November 2023. She said same was served on the prosecution the same day.

In moving the bail application, Akpabio urged the court to grant her client bail in liberal terms.

She prayed the court that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody until the bail was perfected.

However, the prosecutor urged the court to give the defendant a time limit of two to three days to be kept in EFCC custody before taking him to a correctional facility.

“As the defendant left our custody and as he was leaving, someone else took his space. We urge the court to give him a time limit, maybe two to three days in our custody before he is transferred to a correctional facility.” 

After listening to the submissions from the counsel, Justice Dada granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200 million with two sureties in like sum.

The judge ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and each must have N100 million in their account or a valuable landed property.

She ordered that the sureties must show evidence of three years of tax payment to the Lagos State government while the addresses of the sureties must be verified by the Court Registrar.

The judge also ordered that the defendant be remanded in a correctional facility pending the perfection of his bail.

“However, in view of the unavailability of correctional officers in court due to security reasons, the defendant shall temporarily be remanded in EFCC custody,” Justice Dada ordered. 

The judge subsequently adjourned the case to 12 February 2024 for the commencement of trial.

Eighteen-Eleven Media