On Tuesday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned a businessman, Oladipo Jimoh, before the Ikeja Special Offences Court for allegedly stealing $60,334 from Vale Blue Ltd.

Mr Jimoh was arraigned alongside his company, Barma Energy Resource Ltd., on a two-count charge bordering on stealing. The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following his not-guilty plea, the EFCC counsel, Gabriel Akaogu, asked the court for a trial date and the defendant to be remanded in prison custody.

The defence counsel, A.K. Akpabio, informed the court of a bail application dated November 13, served on the prosecution the same day.

Ms Akpabio, after that, moved the bail application and urged the court to grant the same.

She urged the court to remand the defendant in EFCC custody until the bail was perfected. The prosecutor, however, urged the court to give the defendant a time limit of two to three days to be kept in EFCC custody before taking him to the correctional centre.

“The defendant came from our custody, and as he was leaving, someone else took his space. We urge the court to give him a time limit, maybe two to three days in our custody before he is transferred to the correctional centre,” Mr Akaogu said.

Justice Mojisola Dada admitted the defendant to N200 million bail with two sureties in like sum.

Ms Dada said the sureties must be gainfully employed, and each must have N100 million in their account or a valuable landed property. She said the sureties must show evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos government.

According to her, the addresses of the sureties must be verified by the court registrars.

“The defendant shall be remanded in correctional centre pending perfection of his bail. However, in view of no correctional officers in court today, due to security reasons, the defendant shall temporarily be remanded in EFCC custody,” Ms Dada said.

The judge adjourned the case until February 12, 2024, for the commencement of trial.

The prosecution submitted that the defendant and his company, sometime between October 11, 2022, and July 2023, allegedly converted the money, the property of Vale Blue Ltd., to his personal use.

According to the prosecutor, the alleged offences contravened Sections 278(1) (b) (2) (f) and 285 (1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

(NAN)