An Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos on Wednesday heard how two former Chairmen of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch allegedly stole the sum of N42 million from the coffers of the association.
The two past chairmen: Adeshina Ogunlana and Yinka Farounbi, were arraigned alongside a former Financial Secretary of the association, Mrs Aderinola Kappo by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The trio, who denied the allegations, are standing trial on a 30 count charge brought against them by the anti-graft agency.
However, during yesterday’s proceedings, the EFCC called its first witness, one Daniel Okoye, who described himself as a financial member of the NBA Ikeja branch.
Okoye, a legal practitioner who was called to bar in 1989, said that some of the members of the association became suspicious of certain activities in the branch and decided to investigate the matter.
He said: “During the administration of the 1st defendant, Ogunlana, I realized that the branch was still collecting cash from members contrary to the bye-laws of the association.
“I realized that something was wrong with the administration of funds in the branch. We thereafter carried out discreet investigations into the affairs of the branch and what we found out was mind-boggling.
” We discovered that the WEMA Bank account of the association was still being operated by the 2nd defendant, Farounbi even after his tenure had elapsed.
“We also discovered that cheques of over N30m were signed by the 2nd and 3rd defendants in favour of Ogulana which he personally paid into his own account.
“The 1st defendant (Ogunlana) was living large, spending the association’s funds like his personal funds.
“At this stage, we decided to write a petition to the then National President of NBA, A.B Mahmoud and the General Secretary, Isiaka Olagunju.
“Sadly we did not get any response from them, not even an acknowledgement. It was at this stage we decided to petition the EFCC,” Okoye said.
However, during cross-examination by the Ogunlana’s lawyer, Gbenga Ojo, the witness recalled that though he joined the branch in 1996, he has never been an executive of the association.
“I have always been a financial member. I can’t recollect how many Chairmen the association have had so far. I cannot recall if there is any faction in the association,” Okoye said
The EFCC had alleged that the defendants on or about the 9th May 2018 converted to personal use, the sum N1.3m property of the Nigeria Bar Association Ikeja Branch.
The commission alleged that the money was paid into Ogunlana’s First Bank No: 2004528818 through Cheque No 10000204.
The defendants were also accused of stealing without authorisation the sum of N400,000 property of the Nigeria Bar Association, Ikeja Branch.
They were also accused of dishonestly issuing Cheque No10000204 to themselves.
Justice Mojisola Dada thereafter adjourned the matter till July 9 and 10 for the continuation of trial.
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