Ajimobi |
An
Oyo State High Court on Tuesday, ruled against the bail applications
filed by the former Head of Service in the state, Mrs. Kudirat Adeleke,
and 11 others, who are standing trial for alleged N5.6bn pension fraud.
Justice
Bolaji Yusuf, who gave the ruling during the Tuesday sitting in Ibadan,
said counsel for the 12 accused persons could not convince the court to
rule in their
clients’ favour.
The
accused Adeleke, Muili Aderemi, Iyabo Giwa, Adesina Ayoade, Oguntayo
Banji, Adebiyi Olasunmbo, Muili Adedamola, Adeduntan Johnson, Johnson
Bosede, Kareem Rasheed, Olujimi Adebayo and Adewale Kehinde are all
standing trial for the embezzlement of pension fund totalling N5.6bn,
which belongs to teachers in the state.
The
12 accused persons were first arraigned by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission on November 7 for 213 counts of conspiracy, obtaining
money by false pretence and forgery.
The
prosecution alleged that the accused persons withdrew the sums in bits
from accounts belonging to the Oyo State Local Government Staff Pension
Board between September 2010 and March 2011. They, however, pleaded not
guilty to the charges according to a report in The Punch.
Some of them sought bail on health grounds.
While
reviewing the documents presented to the
court to argue the bail applications, the judge held that all the
accused persons, who wanted to be granted bail on health ground, did not
give any convincing evidence to prove that they were suffering from
poor health.
The
judge said although one of the accused, Aderemi, was suffering from
hypertension, EFCC had confirmed in its affidavit that he was given
proper medical attention while in its custody.
“The applicant has failed to place cogent and convincing materials before the court to prove that he is suffering from
ill-health,” she said.
Denying the former HOS bail, the judge said the letter attached to the application did not reveal any serious health failure.
Yusuf
said the letter only stated that the applicant was in the UK for a
cosmetic operation, which was contrary to what her lawyer, Richard
Ogunwole, had told the court.
The
judge said coupled with the promise of EFCC to take proper care of the
accused, Oyo State Government also promised to attend to their medical
needs when needed.
The
judge said the severity of the offence was enough to tempt the accused
persons to want to jump bail. The next hearing of the case comes up on
December 12 and 13.
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