Fraud: EFCC Arraigns Ondo Speaker, 2 Others
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Fraud: EFCC Arraigns Ondo Speaker, 2 Others
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Bamidele Oleyeloogun, and two other were arraigned before a state high court in Akure on Tuesday, April 25th, over an alleged N2.4 million fraud committed in 2019.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, charged Oleyeloogun, the state lawmaker representing Akoko South West Constituency I, Felemu Bankole, and a civil servant in the state, Segun Bankole, with a two-count charge.
According to the EFCC, the alleged fraud was committed when four lawmakers of the assembly were expected to attend a two-day seminar organized by the National Productivity Centre, Lagos, which was scheduled for December 11 and 12, 2019, but did not take place.
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The money released by the state Ministry of Finance amounting to N2.4 million was allegedly diverted to private pockets.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The counsel to the EFCC, Kingsley Kudus, prayed the court to remand the defendants at the Olokuta correctional facility, but the defence counsel, Femi Emodamore, urged the court to allow the defendants to continue enjoying the administrative bail granted them.
Emodamore explained that Oleyeloogun was having a health challenge that needed urgent medical attention, requesting that the court caution the nominal complainant (the former deputy speaker, Iroju Ogundeji) for allegedly sending infuriating messages to the speaker.
The presiding judge, Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye, ruled that the defendants should continue to enjoy their administrative bail and adjourned the case till May 18 for a hearing.
