There was a drama Wednesday at the Federal High Court, Ibadan when an assistant cash officer of the First Bank,
who was arraigned along with others in connection with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s N8billion mutilated cash scam claimed he could not understand or speak English.
Ayodele Alase, who had earlier answered questions asked him by the trial judge, Honourable Justice A. O Faaji who
wanted to know the whereabouts of his counsel and his name dramatically turned round to tell the same judge that he did
not understand English language when the first count charge was read to him.
Rotimi Jacob (SAN), who tried to fault his claims said the accused was employed as a guard but was promoted to a cash assistant in First Bank Plc.
The Judge allowed an interpreter to be engaged for the accused person, a process that delayed the proceedings for some time.
The observers and counsel in the court were, however, stunned to learn that the accused person, who was said to be a primary six certificate holder, had a duplex at Oluyole, a shopping complex,
warehouse at Podo, Challenge, a fenced plot at Dugbe, four- flat building at Apeye, two plots of land of five-bedroom flat in other parts of the Oyo State capital. He was also alleged to possess a five-bedroom flat at Apete, Ibadan and a supermarket at New Garage, Apata Expressway.
Other accused persons including Olaniran Muniru Adeola, Ayodele Festus Adeyemi, Isiaq Akano and others were alleged
to own property in South Africa, filling stations, cement shops, schools, supermarkets, exotic cars, buildings in several places in the state.
Though all the eight accused persons who were docked pleaded not guilty to the charges, they were denied bail and
were remanded in Agodi Prision pending the determination of the bail applications they had filed.
Among the accused persons were Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Adeola,
Toogun Phillip, Ayodele Adeyemi, Isiaq Akano, Oyebamiji Akeem, Ayodeji Alase, Ajiwe Sunday Adegoke and Idowu Oguntade who is still at large.
Three officials of the CBN were among the accused, while others were from Wema Bank Plc and First Bank Plc. The
three CBN staff are Toogun Philip Kolawole Babalola and Olaniran Muniru Adeola.
The prosecution counsel, Jacobs had earlier told the court that the accused persons were charged with a 28-count charge including document forgery with intent to defraud, conspiracy among
others of an aggregate sum of N1.25billion as against the actual sum of N389,296,535 “on the false pretence that the 142 boxes containing supposed mutilated currencies which were taken to
the Ibadan branch of the CBN contained a total sum of N1.25billion”.
The case continues Thursday when others also involved in the fraud will be arraigned.
who was arraigned along with others in connection with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s N8billion mutilated cash scam claimed he could not understand or speak English.
Ayodele Alase, who had earlier answered questions asked him by the trial judge, Honourable Justice A. O Faaji who
wanted to know the whereabouts of his counsel and his name dramatically turned round to tell the same judge that he did
not understand English language when the first count charge was read to him.
Rotimi Jacob (SAN), who tried to fault his claims said the accused was employed as a guard but was promoted to a cash assistant in First Bank Plc.
The Judge allowed an interpreter to be engaged for the accused person, a process that delayed the proceedings for some time.
The observers and counsel in the court were, however, stunned to learn that the accused person, who was said to be a primary six certificate holder, had a duplex at Oluyole, a shopping complex,
warehouse at Podo, Challenge, a fenced plot at Dugbe, four- flat building at Apeye, two plots of land of five-bedroom flat in other parts of the Oyo State capital. He was also alleged to possess a five-bedroom flat at Apete, Ibadan and a supermarket at New Garage, Apata Expressway.
Other accused persons including Olaniran Muniru Adeola, Ayodele Festus Adeyemi, Isiaq Akano and others were alleged
to own property in South Africa, filling stations, cement shops, schools, supermarkets, exotic cars, buildings in several places in the state.
Though all the eight accused persons who were docked pleaded not guilty to the charges, they were denied bail and
were remanded in Agodi Prision pending the determination of the bail applications they had filed.
Among the accused persons were Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Adeola,
Toogun Phillip, Ayodele Adeyemi, Isiaq Akano, Oyebamiji Akeem, Ayodeji Alase, Ajiwe Sunday Adegoke and Idowu Oguntade who is still at large.
Three officials of the CBN were among the accused, while others were from Wema Bank Plc and First Bank Plc. The
three CBN staff are Toogun Philip Kolawole Babalola and Olaniran Muniru Adeola.
The prosecution counsel, Jacobs had earlier told the court that the accused persons were charged with a 28-count charge including document forgery with intent to defraud, conspiracy among
others of an aggregate sum of N1.25billion as against the actual sum of N389,296,535 “on the false pretence that the 142 boxes containing supposed mutilated currencies which were taken to
the Ibadan branch of the CBN contained a total sum of N1.25billion”.
The case continues Thursday when others also involved in the fraud will be arraigned.
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