By Dorcas Elusogbon
Ile-Ife (Osun), – The Police in Osun, on Friday, arraigned a 51-year-old advert revenue collector, Babatunde Adesiyan, before an Ile-Ife Magistrates’ Court for an alleged N1.4 million fraud.
The Prosecutor, Insp Sunday Osanyintuyi, told the court that the defendant committed the offence between 2019 and 2022 at Ife Central Local Government, Ajebamidele, Ile-Ife.
Osanyintuyi said that the defendant, as a member of the local government revenue mobile advert collection officers, converted a cash sum of N1.4 million, which he collected on behalf of the local government to his own use.
He added that the defendant, also in 2022 at Toll Gate Area, Ile-Ife, impersonated and paraded himself as a mobile tax advert collection officer.
The prosecutor said that the defendant unlawfully collected tax from members and citizens of Ife Central Local Government, Ile-Ife, without remitting it to the revenue office.
He also stated that the defendant fraudulently converted the sum of N22,000, which he collected from one Oladeji Oluwasegun, of People Area, Gbongan, to his own use, which led to a N22 million litigation against Ife Central Local Government.
According to him, the offences contravene Sections 383, 390(9) and 484 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun, 2002.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge, bordering on fraud and impersonation.
The Defence Counsel, Mr Nicholas Babatunde, applied for bail for the defendant in the most liberal term and pledged that his client would not jump bail, but would provide reliable sureties.
Magistrate O.T. Badmus granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum.
Badmus said that the sureties must swear to affidavits of means, reside within the court’s jurisdiction, be gainfully employed and have their addresses verified by the prosecutor.
The magistrate ordered that the defendant be remanded in Ile-Ife Correction Centre, pending the perfection of bail.
He, thereafter, adjourned the case till March 3 for hearing. (NAN)
