Court Remands Kaduna Ex-Lawmaker to Kuje Prison Over Alleged N30m Fraud
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of Suleiman Dabo, immediate-past member of Kaduna State House of Assembly (Zaria Constituency) in Kuje prison pending a ruling on his bail application
Justice James Omotosho issued the order on Monday, January 15, after Dabo was arraigned on a seven-count charge brought against him by the Nigeria Police.
He is among others, accused of obtaining N30 million from Mrs. Folashade Mojeolaoluwa under false pretence.
Dabo was arraigned with his firm, Ohman International Venture Limited on the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/363/2021.
The two defendants pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them, following which prosecuting lawyer, Mathew Omosun urged the court to remand the ex-lawmaker to prison pending the commencement of trial.
However, the defense lawyer, A.S Egene, opposed Omosun’s request and informed the court that he filed an application for bail on behalf of his client.
Egene told the court that his client was earlier granted bail by another judge of the court who was handling the case before it was reassigned to a new court.
He urged the court to grant Dabo bail on the same conditions on which he was earlier granted bail, a request
Omosun objected to, noting that he has filed a counter affidavit to that effect.
Going through the case file, Justice Omotosho noted that Dano has been absent in court for about eight times since the case was reassigned to his court.
In response, Egene prayed the court to be lenient with his client, to which the judge reacted by saying, “as a lawmaker, he should know that the temple of justice must be respected.”
Ruling, Justice Omotosho held that since Dabo had been absent in previous proceedings about eight times, he would take his time to carefully go through the case file before giving a ruling.
The judge adjourned till February 5 for a ruling on Dabo’d bail application.
Dabo and his firm were in count one of the charge, alleged to have, sometime in October and November 2017, conspired to obtain N30 million by false pretence from Mrs. Folashade S. Mojeolaoluwa.
In count two, Dabo and the company, were said to have, sometime in October and November 2017, defrauded Mrs. Folashade S. Mojeolaoluwa of N30m through a GTBank account No: 0172410075 with account name: Ohman International Venture Limited.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants had, on the pretence of selling a scrap vessel ship known as ADNAN 101, committed the act “when you presented yourself to Mrs. Folashade S. Mojeolaoluwa as the bonafide owner of the scrap ship.”
In count three, they were alleged to have converted the N30m to themselves, the property derived directly from the proceeds of theft with the aim of concealing or disguising the illicit origin of the money.
The offences are said to be contrary to Section 8 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act and Section 15(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act LFN 2011, among others.
