EFCC docks man for alleged N206.5m fraud

Osho Aluko-Kola

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, arraigned an alleged fraudster, Osho Aluko-Kola, before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on nine-count charges bordering on conspiracy and stealing to the tune of N206, 502,490.02 (Two Hundred and Six Million, Five Hundred and Two Thousand, Four Hundred and Ninety Naira, Two Kobo).

The defendant was arraigned alongside six companies namely: Centurion Registrars Limited; United Securities Limited; Evolution Construction & Engineering Design Limited; Cities & Towers Logistics Limited, Continental Exim Nigeria Limited and Diffusion Impex Limited for allegedly conspiring and stealing N206, 502,490.02.

One of the counts read: “That you, Osho Aluko-Kola, Alake Olatokunbo (now at large), Centurion Registrars Limited, United Securities Limited, Evolution Construction & Engineering Design Limited, Cities & Towers Logistics Limited, Continental Exim Nigeria Limited and Diffusion Impex Limited, between 2015 and 2019 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired to commit felony, to wit: stealing the sum of N206, 502,490.02 (Two Hundred and Six Million, Five Hundred and Two Thousand, Four Hundred and Ninety Naira, Two Kobo), property of Chief Chukwudozie Nwanneka Daniel, and committed an offence contrary to Section 411 and punishable under Section 287 (5) & (9) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.

In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, I.A. Mohammed, prayed the court for a trial date and also asked that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service, NCS.

Counsel to the defendant, Yusuf Yamta, informed the court of a bail application for his client and also asked for a short date for its hearing.

Justice Dada adjourned the matter to July 30, 2020 for hearing of the bail application and remanded the defendant in the custody of the NCS.

The Judge further held that the defendant, in the interim, would be in the EFCC custody pending the result of his COVID-19 test.