Kemisola Oye
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today (Thursday 9th November 2023) arraigned a diabetic patient, Abdulrahman Raji, before the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, for allegedly defrauding a man of Twenty-Six Million Naira (N26,000,000.00) only.
The defendant is facing a counts charge bordering on conspiracy and fraud preferred against him by the anti-graft Commission.
The prosecution counsel, E. Isah, told the court that the defendant and one other (now at large) conspired to commit the offence.
He said that the incident took place between 20 and 21 March 2023.
Isah told the court that Raji fraudulently obtained the said sum from Olaide Adedapo under the pretence of the purchase of a Toyota Hilux car.
According to the prosecutor, the offence committed contravened sections 8 (a) 1, (b), and 1 (3), of the Advanced Fee Fraud Act 2006.
However, the defendant who had been in EFCC’s custody since March, pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against him.
Following the defendant’s plea, Isah asked the court for a trial date as well as to remand the defendant to a correctional facility.
But the defendant’s counsel, N. A. Onah, told the court that the travails of the defendant was a very long one and he has been in the EFCC’s custody since March 2023.
Onah informed the court that the defence had a bail application dated 7 November 2023, and had served EFCC.
The prosecutor confirmed service but left the determination of the application at the discretion of the court.
The defence counsel, while urging the court to hear the bail application, stated that the defendant was an elderly man who is sick and had been in the EFCC’s custody since March.
“He is diabetic and physically feeble, I have practised for 25 years and I have known the defendant for 15 years, I can undertake to produce him in court,” Onah said.
After listening to the submission and bail application by the defence, the court granted the defendant bail.
Justice Olarenwaju Ijelu, while ruling on the bail application, held that the court observed that the defendant has been in the custody of EFCC since March.
He then granted the defendant bail in the sum of Five Million Naira (N5,000,000.00) with two sureties in like sum.
Justice Ijelu held that one of the sureties must be a blood relation to the defendant and the two sureties must be residents of Lagos State.
The judge also ordered that the sureties must show evidence of three years of tax payment to the Lagos State government.
He also ordered that the addresses of the sureties should be verified by the court registrars and the chief registrar shall verify the sureties.
Justice Ijelu adjourned the case till 11 December 2023, for the commencement of trial.
Earlier when the matter was called, the EFCC’s counsel said the Commission had amended information dated 6 November 2023, and then urged the court that the charge be read to the defendant.
Eighteen-Eleven Media