Court Refuses Bail Application Of Defendant Who Duped Osun Monarch Of N525M

The trial of Philemon Gora, Osigwe Edison and Gracious Environ Workers Limited & Planners Nigeria Limited before Justice S.O. Solebo of a Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos for an alleged Five Hundred and Twenty-Five Million Naira (N525,000,000.0) only fraud continued on 28th April 2022, with the trial court refusing bail for Gora, the first defendant while granting bail to Edison, the second defendant, in the sum of Fifty Million Naira (N50,000,000.00) only

The first defendant, Gora, was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in July 2021, following a petition alleging that he used one of his front companies, Gracious Environ Workers & Planners Nigeria Limited, to obtain the sum of N 525 Million from a traditional ruler, Kabiyesi Jacob Esan of Ijesa, Osun State and owner of Liberitas Plc, with the assurance of helping him convert it to the United Arab Emirate, UAE, Dirham.

Gora, however, reneged on the agreement with the complainant, as investigation by the EFCC revealed that he, instead, transferred the money to his various accounts as well as to some Bureaux de Change operators, who confirmed giving him the Dollar equivalent in cash, which he diverted to his personal use.

The defendants were on 6th December 2021 arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on stealing, conspiracy to obtain by false witness and obtaining by false pretence.