Ogunlewe, Two Others Docked over N842m FUNAAB ‘Fraud’

Former Works Minister and present Pro-Chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe and two other members of the Governing Council have been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) this morning at Court 6, Ogun State High Court, Isabo, Abeokuta, over fraud allegations.

Ogunlewe stood in the dock, alongside the Vice Chancellor, Prof Olusola Oyewole, and the Bursar, Mr. Moses Olusola Ilesanmi.

They were arraigned before Justice O. O. Majekodunmi on 18-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and obtaining money under false pretence.

They pleaded not guilty before the judge, who stood down the matter for 30 minutes for the counsel to reconcile their differences over the service of the bail application.

One of the charges says: “That you Senator Ogunlewe, Prof. Olusola Oyewole and Moses Ilesanmi between the month of September and October, 2013 at Abeokuta within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did deposit the sum of N400, 000, 000 million only, property of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta in a fixed deposit account without due process.”

Another count says: “That you Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, Prof. Olusola Oyewole and Moses Olusola Ilesanmi sometime between the month of September and October, 2013, at Abeokuta within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did deposit the sum of N442, 849, 898 million only, property of Federal University of Abeokuta in a fixed deposit without due process.”

Ogunlewe was represented by his son, M. O. Ogunlewe.

EFCC had filed the case following a petition against the management and some members of the Governing Council.

The petition was submitted to the EFCC by the Concerned Stakeholders of FUNAAB. It says the Pro Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor and the Bursar engaged in “unbridled corruption and betrayal of public trust”.‎

Further details of the proceedings will follow shortly.

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