Justice M. A. Onyetenu of the Federal High Court Osogbo, Osun State,
June 8, 2017 granted the 3rd, 5th and 6th defendants bail in the case of
conspiracy and money laundering brought against the former members of
the Governing Council of the Osun State College of Education,
Ila-Orangun, Osun State.
They include David Olayinka Olojede, Akingbade
Latilo, Dr. Gbadamosi Basiru, Oluwafemi Kujembola. Others are: Amobi Yunusa Akintola and Ogungbemi Olatokunbo.
Bashiru(3rd defendant), Akintola (5th defendant) and Olatokunbo (6th
defendant) were granted bail in the sum of N20 Million each with two
sureties who have landed properties within Osogbo. The defendants are to
deposit their International Passport with the court. One of the
sureties must be a civil servant on grade level 16 and must depose to an
affidavit of means.
However, the applications for bail of the 1st
defendant, David Olayinka Olojede, 2nd defendant, Akingbade Latilo and
4th defendant, Oluwafemi Kujembola were dismissed by the court. They are
to remain in prisons custody pending conclusion of trial.
The
defendants, who were arraigned Wednesday May 18, 2017 by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, are standing trial on an
eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering.
The Commission got wind of their activities through a petition alleging
that they were involved in abuse of office and misappropriation of N125
Million Tetfund Special Intervention Fund released to the College for
the building of a Lecture Theater.
The defendants as members of the
Governing Council allegedly released the sum of N102 Million to the
contractor DigitPro Engineering Technology Ltd chaired by one Mr. John
Ojemuyiwa Ojokerede (Who is also standing trial before the High Court of
Osun State sitting at Ede on a separate charge). Investigations
revealed that upon the release of the mobilization fee to the
contractor, the contractor deducted a bribe of N43 Million from the
original sum to the Council members as kick back and never executed the
contract.
The sum was collected by the 1st Defendant, David Olayinka
Olojede and subsequently distributed to the other defendants, who were
also members of the council.
One of the count proffered against them reads that you David Olayinka Olojede, between 26th F ebruary and 4th March 2014 at Osogbo within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, directly took possession of the sum of N43,093,694.00 (Forty Three Million, Ninety Three Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety Four Naira) Only through your bank accounts with Fidelity Bank Number 5600078243 and Access Bank Number 0036090886 which sum you knew to be bribe money paid by Digitpro Engineering Technology Limited and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
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