IBADAN – Justice Adegboye Gbolagunte of the Oyo State High Court on Monday adjourned to June 18 ruling on the bail application in a fraud case involving a former Head of Service in the state, Alhaja Kudirat Adeleke.
Adeleke and 11 other persons were arraigned for allegedly defrauding the Oyo State Local Government Staff Pension Board to the tune of N5.6 billion.
Adeleke’s counsel, Richard Ogunwole (SAN), told the court that his client was presumed innocent of the charges against her, adding that it was her constitutional right to be admitted to bail.
Ogunwole said that the onus lied on the prosecutor to prove otherwise by providing substantial facts to the courts.
He, however, argued that the prosecutor had failed to provide the facts that would warrant the court not to admit his client to bail.
The counsel said that his client had been suffering from an ailment in the last 20 years and had to travel out of the country for treatment.
Ogunwole also said that his client was struggling to live, adding that her condition was deteriorating because no hospital in the state had the facilities to treat her ailment.
He urged the court to admit his client to bail on liberal terms, pledging that she would not jump bail.
The counsel to the other defendants also argued for bail while aligning with the submission of Ogunwole.
But the counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Gbolahan Latona, urged the court not to grant bail to the defendants.
Latona said that there was no material evidence placed before the court that would warrant granting of bail to the defendants.
He added that the defendants had failed to satisfy the standards required to sway the court to admit them to bail and urged the court to dismiss the application in favour of accelerated hearing.
Those also linked with the fraud are Muili Aderemi, Iyabo Giwa, Adesina Ayoade, Oguntayo Banji, Adebiyi Musenbiq and Muili Adedamola.
Others are Adeduntan Johnson, Bosede Johnson, Kareem Rasheed, Olujimi Adebayo and Adewale Kehinde.
The defendants were arraigned on a 213-count charge which included conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, fraud and forgery.
Latona said the defendants conspired to obtain the N5.6 billion from three banks– FCMB, Stanbic and Zenith– by false representation using the names of pensioners.
The prosecutor said the offences were committed between September 2010 and March 2011.
He said the offences contravened sections 516, 390 (9) and 417 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. (NAN)
