By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka (Senior Correspondent)
Justice Josephine Oyefeso of a Lagos High Court sitting at Ikeja has fixed April 16 as next date for continuation of trial of four stockbrokers allegedly involved in N13 billion fraud
The defendants, Adeyemi Oluwaseun, Suleiman Yusuf Obhakume, Yusuf Imran Adekunle and Haruna Issah, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for stealing the sum of N13 billion, property of First Marina Trust Limited.
They were arraigned on November 16, 2017, on seven counts amended charge and they pleaded not guilty to the seven counts.
The defendants were alleged to have committed the offence while in the employment of the organization.
Part of the amended charge before the court stated that, “Adeyemi Oluwaseun, Suleiman Yusuf Obhakume, Yusuf Imran Adekunle and Haruna Issah on or about 17th day of May, 2016 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court stole the sum of N237,250, 000 (Two hundred and thirty seven million, two hundred and fifty thousand naira only), property of First Marina Trust Limited.
“that Adeyemi Oluwaseun, Suleiman Yusuf Obhakume, Yusuf Imran Adekunle and Haruna Issah, on or about 27th day of May, 2016 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court stole the sum of N500,200,000, (five hundred million, two hundred thousand naira only),property of First Marina Trust Limited.”
They were also accused of stealing the sum of N183, 500,000, N180, 000,000, N186, 000,000 and N14, 749,000 respectively,’ all property of First Marina Trust Limited.
The prosecution counsel, Mr. Anselm Ozioko, had held that the offence is contrary to Section 285(1) and (8) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
During the examination in-chief by the prosecution counsel at the continuation of trial on January 17, 2018, the prosecution witness Anthony Onyeoghane, who is the chief Risk Officer of the company told the court that the report of an internal investigation conducted by the company indicted the defendants of the offence.
“I was a member of the investigation committee set up by the company.
“A report was delivered to the management after investigation. I signed the report and every member of the committee signed the report.
“It was during investigation that this fraud was discovered,” he told the court.”
