Varsity Teacher Docked Over N141.6m Fraud
A Senior IT lecturer at Covenant University, Otta, Ogun State, Owolo Onorouiohene Dan, was today, arraigned before a Federal High Court, Lagos, on alleged fraud of N141. 632, 416.65 million.
Owolo was arraigned before the court presided over by Justice Saliu Saidu, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on a three counts charge bordering on the alleged fraud.
EFCC in a charge marked FHC/L/202c/19, alleged that the defendant committed the offence between December, 2017 and March, 2019.
The charged which was filed by Rotimi Oyedepo stated that the defendant between July 10, 2018 and February 18, 2019, retained the aggregate sum of N122,748 million in his Zenith bank account number 2213999627, the sum which he reasonable known to be proceeds of unlawful act.
He was also alleged to have between December 13, 2017 and March 25, 2019 retained the sum of N14709,552.65 million and N4, 176,864 million in his GTB and Ecobank accounts with numbers 0223905152 and 2261053189 belonging to him and one Adebayo Abimbola Oladayo.
The offence according to the prosecutor, Oyedepo is contrary to section 15 (2) (a)
of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act.
The lecturer however pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Upon the defendant’s not guilty plea, Oyedepo asked the court for trial date, while also prayed the court to remand the defendant in prison custody pending the determination of the charge.
However, defendant’s lawyer, E. O. Binutu, while not opposing the trial date request of the prosecutor, begged for short date for hearing of the defendant’s bail application.
Following the lawyer’s plea, Justice Saidu adjourned the matter till July 3, for hearing of the defendant’s bail application, while ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody.
Count one of the charge against the defendant reads: that you Owolo Onorouioghene Dan between 10th day of July, 2018 and 18th day of February, 2019 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable retained the aggregate sum of N122,748,000.00 (One Hundred and Twenty Two Million, Seven Hundred and Forty Eight Thousand Naira) in your Zenith Bank account No. 2213999627 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful act to wit: stealing and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act”.
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