N313.2m fraud: Court to rule on bail application October 24

JUSTICE Rabin Shagari of a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has fixed ruling on the bail application filed by the four defendants in a suit bordering on allegations of felony and 313million naira fraud for October 24, 2017 after hearing arguments from the prosecuting and defense counsels on the reason the defendants should be granted bail or continue their remand in prison custody.

Hearing of the bail application was earlier postponed due to the absence of the defendants; Akala  Anthony, Umar Ali, Saidi Oke and Bashir Mohammed before the court after they filed the bail application through their lawyer Akeem Balogun on September 26, 2017.

The defendants were in an amended charge accused with others now at large, to by false pretence and intent to defraud fraudulently obtained 313.2million Naira as being part of 359million naira received from Austin Albert for purchase of 1 million dollars, the offence is punishable under section 1(3) of the Advanced Fee fraud and other related offences, Act, 2006.

Balogun in the application had informed the court that the defendants have been incarcerated for four months and should be granted bail pending commencement of hearing in the suit but the prosecuting counsel had argued that the accused do not deserve to be granted bail owning to the nature of their case which should be given speedy trial, adding that they were remanded on the order of court after they threatened the life of the complainant identified as Albert Austin

Countering the argument during the proceedings, Balogun prayed the court to grant his clients bail in the most liberal terms. “Having filed an application for bail on the 26th of September, I plead with my lord to grant my clients bail pending the commencement of the case for trial, I promise that my clients will always be in court whenever the case is to be heard.”

The court adjourned ruling on the application to October 24 after hearing the arguments.

The defendants were accused of conspiring to commit felony by allegedly obtaining a sum of 313.2million Naira, an offence that the prosecutor stated is contrary to Section 8 (b) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advanced Fee fraud and other related offenses Act 2006.

They all pleaded not guilty to the two counts charge.