The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a middle-aged man, one Obakin Emmanuel Ajibola, in court over an alleged N251.6 million theft in Ibadan, but he pleaded not guilty to a four-count charge.
Obakin, who was arraigned in the Oyo State High Court, was alleged to have defrauded a firm, Lee Gakino Nigetia Limited, of a sum of two hundred and fifty-one million, six hundred and eighty-five thousand naira.
He was arraigned on a 4-count charge bordering on stealing. The offence was said to have been committed on December 20, 2022, in Ibadan.
However, the suspect has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and has been admitted to N50 million bail by Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court.
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According to the EFCC statement signed by its Head of Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, the defendant was one of the two directors of Lee Fakino Nigeria Limited and a signatory to the company’s account.
He was alleged to have withdrawn the said amount of money from Lee Fakino Nigeria Limited without the authorization and consent of the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Akindele Fajemiyo, who is also a signatory to the company’s account.
Also, the defendant is alleged to have removed the telephone numbers and email addresses of the MD and CEO of the company from the bank details of Lee Fakino Nigeria Limited, through which notification alerts of transactions were received, to enable him to keep track of the account.
The defendant afterwards withdrew the said sum from the account of the firm, which was money paid for works executed by Lee Fakino Nigeria Limited for the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture between December 22, 2022, and March 9, 2023, without any notification received by Fajemiyo.
Upon arraignment, he pleaded “not guilty” to the charges filed against him by the EFCC.
Given his plea, prosecution counsel, Oyelakin Oyediran, asked the court for a trial date and prayed for the court to remand the defendant in the Correctional facility pending the determination of the case.
Counsel to the defendant, Ibrahim Lawal, urged the court to admit his client to bail.
Justice Ladiran Akintola thereby admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N50 million and two sureties, preferably the wife and younger brother of the defendant, in like sum.
Furthermore, “the sureties are to swear an affidavit of means, deposit their National Identification Slip with the court, and provide the court with adequate residential addresses”.
Also, the court ordered that the defendant provide the court with his National Identification Slip and residential address.
The matter was adjourned till October 23, 2023, for further hearing.
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