Court remands man over alleged N72.5 million fraud

JUSTICE Mojisola Dada of Special Offences Court, Ikeja , Lagos, yesterday, remanded, a former member of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), Peter Onoja, in a correctional centre, for allegedly stealing the sum of N72.5 million.

The judge remanded the defendant after he pleaded not guilty to a six-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

The anti-graft commission alleged that the defendant fraudulently converted the sum of N72.5million, property of NUFBTE to his personal use.
His alleged offence contradicts Section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The prosecuting counsel, Mrs. Anita Imo, told the court that the defendant committed the offences between February 2015 and August 2020 in Lagos.

Following his not guilty plea, the prosecution urged the court to remand the defendant in a Correctional Centre and asked for a trial date.
In his response, the defendant’s counsel, Mr. Paul Okwoi, informed the court that he could not file his client’s bail application due to an error in it.He prayed the court that two dates be granted in December for defence to file his bail application.

Justice Dada therefore remanded the defendant in any correctional facility of his choice pending the filing and hearing of his bail application.
She subsequently adjourned the case to January 24,2023 for commencement of trial and hearing of bail application.