By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
The trial of a Lagos based self-acclaimed pastor, Ayodeji Ibrahim Oluokun charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences has been adjourned till May 24 and 26 for continuation of trial.
The trial was adjourned after the two witnesses called by EFCC had testified against the defendant before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State.
Led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, S.O. Daji, the fourth witness, a staff of Vaults and Gardens, Lagos, Chidi Chidiebere testified that the defendant procured a Mausoleum in which his late mother, Florence, was buried on November 23, 2012.
He further testified that the total payment received from the defendant through Peak Petroleum for the services rendered amounted to N49,676,666.
Also testifying as the fifth prosecution witness, Ademola Adeyemi, a former banker, and managing director of Classic Sorting Nigeria Limited, a financial services company, told the Court that he met the defendant at a Church.
According to Adeyemi, in the course of their interaction, sometime in October 2013, Oluokun introduced himself as the managing director of Peak Petroleum Industries Limited and later told him that the company had an inflow of $500,000, which he would want him to help convert to Naira
He noted that Classic Sorting was able to provide the Naira equivalent of N79, 500,000 at the rate of N159 to a dollar, and “it was a purely business transaction between both companies.”
“Classic Sorting is not into oil exploration and Pastor Oluokun and I never discussed anything about using the funds received for any oil business,” he said.
Thereafter, the case was adjourned.
Oluokun is standing trial alongside his company, Peak Petroleum Industry Nigeria Limited, on a six-count amended charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, stealing and issuance of dud cheques contrary to Sections 1(1) (b) of the Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act, Cap D 11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, Section 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State and Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences.
He had pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
He is alleged to have, sometime in 2014, approached the management of GOSL Nigeria Limited for a loan in the sums of $1 million and $666,666, which he claimed he needed to enable him carry out operation activities in his company’s oil field in Bayelsa State.
He was also alleged to have given assurances to the firm that he would repay the money within one year.
However, the defendant, who reneged on his promise, issued two post-dated Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited cheques dated June 26, 2014 for the sum of $1 million and $666,666 respectively, which were returned unpaid.
Investigations by the EFCC, however, revealed that contrary to his claim, the monies he collected, were diverted to personal use, including procuring a Mausoleum at Vaults and Garden.