The Special Fraud Unit of Nigeria Police, on Monday, arraigned two staff of Saint Saviour’s Schools, Alexander Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos before a Lagos Federal High Court on alleged N5. 330 million fraud.
The two staff arraigned by the anti-fraud arm of the police are Olawale Shakirudeen Azeez, the school’s Finance Clerk, and Rasheed Olalekan Lanlehin, an Assistant Facilities Manager of the School.
The SFU in a two count-charge marked FHC/L/325c/16, alleged that the two accused persons in collaboration with Oladimeji Sunday Akinola, and Michael Olugbenga Adegbola, who were the school’s Finance Manager and Finance Officer respectively, but now at large, had on or about September 2008 to May 2015, fraudulently converted the sum of N5. 330 million, by falsifying and forging the school’s accounting records which they sent to the school’s bankers, namely: First Bank Plc, and Stanbic IBTC.
The offence according to the prosecutor, Mr. Effiong Asuquo, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), is contrary section 15(1)(a)(ii) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended.
In the earlier charge filed before the court by the prosecutor, CSP Asuquo, SFU alleged that the two principal suspects, Oladimeji Sunday Akinola, and Michael Olugbenga Adegbola, while working at the school as Finance Manager and Finance Officer, had between the stated period perpetrated a fraud of N114. 5 million.
The trial of the four accused persons which was slated for last week Tuesday, was however Stalled due to the absence of the two principal suspects of the alleged fraud.
The accused persons however pleaded not guilty the charges
Following their not guilty plea, CSP Asuquo, urged the court to remand them in Prison’s custody, pending trial.
However, lawyers to the accused persons led by U. U. Okorosi, informed the court that they have filed the accused persons’ bail applications, and same have been served on the prosecution.
He therefore urged the court to hear the bail applications.
In opposing the hearing of the bail applications, CSP Asuquo, said he needed time to study the applications and respond to same.
Consequently, the presiding judge, Justice AbdulAziz Anka, ordered the remand of accused persons in Prison’s custody, while adjourned the hearing of their bail applications till Wednesday..
The charge against the accused reads: “that you Olawale Shakirudeen Azeez, Finance Clerk, and Rasheed Olalekan Lanlehin, in collaboration with Oladimeji Sunday Akinola, the then Finance Manager of Saint Saviour’s School, Ikoyi, Lagos, and Michael Olugbenga Adegbola, the then Finance Officer, Saint Saviour’s School, Ikoyi, Lagos, on or about September 2008 to May 2015, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the court, converted a total sum of N5. 330 million, belonging to Saint Saviour’s School, Ikoyi, Lagos, to your use, by falsifying and Forging accounting records sent to the school bankers, Stanbic IBTC, and First bank Plc, and fraudulently getting the school bankers to pay into your bank accounts the above sum which was not your legitimate earning as staff of the school with the aim of concealing or disguising the Illicit nature or origin of the funds, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(1)(a)(ii) of Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended.”
