By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), on Wednesday arraigned the immediate past chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja branch, Adesina Ogunlana, and three others for alleged stealing and money laundering.
Ogunlana, publisher of a popular law magazine, ‘The SQUIB’, was docked alongside his predecessor, Yinka Farounbi and the immediate past treasurer of the association, Aderinol Kappo before Justice Mojisola Dada of Special Offences Court, Ikeja.
The trio were arraigned on 30 count charge bodering on alleged money laundering, stealing and conspiracy .
According to the charge, the three defendants were alleged to have collectively stolen a total sum of N20 million belonging to the association.
They were alleged to have committed the offence between 2016 and 2018 by converting to personal use the said amount into Ogunlana’ s First bank account through issuance of cheque without authorisation.
The prosecution informed the court that the offences are contrary to Sections 278(1) (b) and 285(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, No, 11, 2011; Conspiracy to commit felony to wit. Stealing contrary to Section 409 and 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State No. 11. Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.
The defendants however pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them by EFCC.
Following their not guilty plea, the prosecutor, Samuel Daji urged the court to remand the defendants in prison custody pending the court’s ruling on the bail application.
Daji said: “We urge the honorable court to grant us accelerated hearing in this matter and also to remand the defendants in the prison custody.
“My lord the defendants, 1st and 3rd defendants are flight risk, they jumped the administrative bail granted them by the EFCC and the 3rd defendant even gave us the address of the house she has left two-years ago and the landlord is also looking for her. They were supposed to be reporting at the EFCC office every Friday but they didn’t comply.
“These defendants have also been threatening our witnesses as well as Operatives of the EFCC by agents of the 1st defendant.
My, lord, Justice is also not for the rich alone, I urge the court to remand the defendants accordingly, afterall, governors are being kept in prison custody. There is no big man in where to keep defendants.”
The defence counsel, Mr. Akin Olatunde however urged the court to grant the defendants bail on liberal term.
” We literally fought the prosecution to prosecute this matter and they have been coming to court since Monday.
“The court is at discretion to admit the defendants to bail after their arraignment. The essence of bail is for defendants to be present in court. They are responsible personalities who are ready to come for the trial anytime as demonstrated in their coming since Monday,” Olatunji said.
Upon listening to both parties, Justice Dada granted bail to the defendants on liberal term.
The judge said: I have considered the case of the matter and considering the fact that the defendants are ex-officials of the Nigerian Bar Association, the court will be granting them a temporary bail.
“They are however ordered to submit their international passports to the court registrar pending the determination of their bail condition.
She thereafter adjourned the matter till June 3, 2019 for hearing of bail application and opening of the prosecution case.
Meanwhile, there was a mild drama in court when the immediate past chairman of the Bar, Adesina Ogunlana collapsed in the dock, after taking his plea in a criminal case.
The former chairman collapsed when the EFCC counsel asked the court to remand him and his co-defendants in prison.
Though his state of health is not known to the court but he was offered a seat while the prosecution counsel and the defence counsel argued his bail condition.
