Alleged fraud: Oyetola’s aide is being blackmailed, says counsel

Counsel to Prince Abdullah Adeyanju Binuyo, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Osun State governor, has denied the report that the governor’s aide has been charged with a $120,000 fraud allegation.

A national newspaper reported on Wednesday that the deputy chief of staff was involved in a $120,000 fraud but the counsel, Mr Wahab Ismail, said the report was not only mischievous but also misleading.

According to a statement issued by Mr Ismail, while it is true that Binuyo was just a mere witness and not a party to the said failed business, he cannot be liable in the face of the law.

According to the statement: “Our attention has been drawn to a story in a national newspaper titled “Osun deputy chief of staff charged with $120,000 fraud.”

The story is not only mischievous but equally misleading. It was done deliberately to cast aspersions on the person of Prince Abdullah Adeyanju Binuyo, who is the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor,  State of Osun,  Adegboyega Oyetola.

“While it is true that Binuyo was just a mere witness and not a party to the said failed business, he cannot be liable in the face of the law.

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“At any rate, even the amount involved in the business, which is $100,000 and not $120,000, has been refunded in full to the party concerned almost a year ago. It was received by a man (names withheld),  which was duly acknowledged by his counsel as well and witnessed by the police.

“Again, nothing in the police charge, suggests that Binuyo was liable. We have called the attention of the police to the information.

“However, while we await the police to clear the air on the damaging misinformation, we feel obliged to put the facts straight and urge members of the public to disregard the story in its entirety.

“If  the said man feels he has any claim against Binuyo, the appropriate step to take is to approach the court and not to use blackmail instruments and peddling of lies to malign and damage the good reputation of Binuyo

“We also appeal to media houses to always strive to seek to hear the other side to any story to prevent falling for the mischief of some  Nigerians, whose only preoccupation is to pull down fellow Nigerians for political and pecuniary reasons.

“We will seek every legal option available to deal with this wrongful, false and misleading allegation levelled against Binuyo .”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE