Court Denies Bail To Man, 52, Accused Of Defrauding SAN

Court Denies Bail To Man, 52, Accused Of Defrauding SAN

An Lagos High Court in Ikeja on Tuesday rejected the bail application filed by a 52-year-old man, Moses Olayemi, accused of defrauding a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Aliyu Salman, of N2.5 million.

The trial judge, Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo, in a ruling on Olayemi’s bail application, agreed with the objections raised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The judge noted that the defendant was previously convicted for the same offences by a Kano State High Court.

He said that Olayemi’s prior criminal record and the severity of the charge could make him abscond if the application was granted.

Lawal-Akapo consequently dismissed the application and ordered Olayemi to be remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, pending the conclusion of the case.

The matter was adjourned till January 26 for commencement of trial.

Olayemi was arraigned on October 28 on a two-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretences.

The EFCC counsel, Mr Ben Ubi, said the defendant conspired with three others, who are now at large, to commit the offences on March 21, 2013 at Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos.

Ubi said the syndicate called the lawyer and pretended to be members of the National Assembly Screening Committee who were vetting his purported appointment by the Federal Government.

He said they obtained various sums of money from Salman by claiming that it represented sundry payments, including that of getting him a security clearance to enable him get the job.

According to him, Olayemi’s alleged offences contravene Sections 1 (3) and 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006.

The offence of obtaining money by false pretences attracts a maximum of seven years imprisonment, if the accused is found guilty.

Olayemi, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. (NAN)