Judiciary
TWO banks on Wednesday presented account documents in an Ikeja Special Offences Court in the ongoing N127.1million fraud case filed by the EFCC against Stephen Oshinowo, a former Executive Secretary, Lagos State Scholarship Board.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that compliance officers from the United Bank of Africa (UBA) and Zenith Bank Plc presented the documents which were tendered as evidence by the prosecution at the start of Oshinowo’s criminal trial.
The witnesses while led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, O. A. Mohammed, both informed the court that their duties involved liaising with various law enforcement agencies on behalf of the banks.
Mr Gideon Ovuzorie, a compliance officer with UBA told the court that the bank had received a letter from the EFCC in March to provide details of an account domiciled with the bank.
“The account was in the name of Oshinowo Adenike and the account number is 1005232876,” he said.
The documents pertaining to the account were immediately tendered into evidence.
The second prosecution witness, Mr Eyituoyo Mogbeyiteren, a compliance officer at Zenith Bank Plc, told the court that the bank was contacted by the EFCC sometime in June 2019 and 2020 to provide the details of some accounts.
“The bank received three letters from the EFCC for some customers of the bank. These accounts were Julikam International Ltd with account number 1012362080.
“Kamoru Kasali with account number 1002460229, Oshimolu Enterprises with account number 1012295628 and Oshimolu Trading Solutions with account number – 1013756557,” Mogbeyiteren said.
Following his evidence, Mohammed also tendered the documents into evidence.
While being cross-examined by defence counsel, Mr Lawal Pedro, SAN, Mogbeyiteren told the court that he is not a signatory to any of Zenith Bank’s letters to the EFCC
He also told the court that he was not certain whether the defendant was a director in the companies whose account documents were tendered as evidence.
“I put it to you that the defendant is not a director in any of the companies and he is not Mr Kamoru,” Lawal said.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo adjourned the case until Oct. 26 for the continuation of trial.
NAN reports that Oshinowo is charged by the EFCC on eight counts bordering on fraud.
The EFCC alleged that the scholarship board boss committed the offence between 2016 and 2018 in Lagos.
The EFCC alleged that investigations revealed that Oshinowo, at various times, allegedly diverted to his personal use the sum of N127.1million meant for the Board.
The anti-graft agency alleged that in 2018, he dishonestly converted N30million property of Lagos State Scholarship Board, through one Oshinowo Adenike.
The agency also alleged that between Feb. 8, 2016, and Dec. 30, 2016, while acting as the Secretary of Lagos State Scholarship Board, dishonestly converted through Julikam International Ltd, the sum of N39million. (NAN)
– Sept. 23, 2020 @ 15:15 GMT |
Tags: Alleged fraud: Banks present documents in trial of ex-scholarship board boss
