Matilda Omonaiye/
Three suspected Nigerian fraudsters accused of duping an Israel bicycle dealer have been held and arraigned in court by the Zonal Head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos, Mr Akan Ezima.
The suspects were identified as Adewale Dairo a.k.a. Bobby Okantay, Badmus Kayode Kafil and Baruwa Oluwaseun.
They were arraigned before Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining under false pretence to the tune of N1, 570, 005. 25.
The defendants, who were charged alongside one Kunle Chinyere, Daniella Madu, Kola Ade and Theophilus Nweke Nnamdi (all at large), allegedly conspired to obtain the money from one Haim Ben Harush, an Israeli bicycle seller, under the pretence that they had a manufacturing plant in the United Kingdom.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Adewale Dairo, a.k.a Bobby Okantay ‘M, Badmus Kayode Kafil ‘M’, Baruwa Oluwaseun ‘M’, sometime in 2017 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud, did fraudulently and dishonestly conspire amongst yourselves to obtain the sum of N1,570,005.25 ( One Million, Five Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Five Naira , Twenty -five Kobo) from one Haim Ben Harush ( an Israeli bicycle seller) under false pretences that you have a bicycle manufacturing plant in the United Kingdom, which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Frauds Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.
In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Nwadu Ukoha, asked the court for a trial date and prayed that the defendants be remanded in prison custody.
Counsels to the defendants urged the court to grant their clients bail in the most liberal terms.
Justice Obiozor granted the defendants bail in the sum of N10million each with one surety in like sum.
The sureties each must be resident in and own a property in Lagos; they must show evidence of three years’ tax payment and swear to an affidavit of means, and the sureties each must submit two passport photographs – their own and that of the defendants.
The court also ordered the sureties each to submit all the documents to the court’s Registrar for verification.
Justice Obiozor adjourned the case to October 17, 2018, for the commencement of trial and ordered the defendants to be remanded in Ikoyi prisons pending the fulfilment of their bail terms.
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