Osun State government has dragged two bank officials, Kehinde Oludare and Awolola Olalekan, before the State High Court sitting in Ila-Orangun, for allegedly falsifying an account belonging to an immigration officer, Badiru Adeyemi Oluwafemi.
The duo, who were attached to the Inisha Branch of First Bank, were said to be the Business Manager and Account Officer of Badiru respectively, at the time the alleged crime was committed in 2015.
The matter has suffered series of long adjournments, having earlier been tried at the Okuku division of the court by four different judges before it was transferred to Justice G. Lawal of Ila-Orangun division.
When the case was mentioned, the two defendants were absent in court, but their counsel, Olamide Olabode told the court that Olalekan travelled to Imo State, hence his inability to appear before the court.
The state counsel, Biodun Badiora, expressed worry that the case had suffered much delay and urged the court to expedite action on the matter.
The trial judge, Lawal, also observed that the case file was not well kept as it looks dirty, an indication that the case has started a long time ago.
The defendants were in 2015 charged on a five-count charge of stealing, keeping of fraudulent account, falsification of account books and fraudulent false accounting.
The offences were contrary to sections 435 (B), 438 (B) and 390 (9) of the criminal code law, Cap 3 laws of Osun State 2002.
The account owner, Badiru, had told the court that the two suspects paid N1 million into his account domiciled at the First Bank Plc. without soliciting for it, alleging that the two bank officials planned to defraud him through their actions.
He said: “The two suspects with intent to defraud me made or were privy to making false entry into my account when without authority created a loan account number 3896210013660 in the name of Badiru Adeyemi Oluwafemi, purporting to show that I took the loan on the said account.”
The court adjourned to September 21, 2023, for arraignment and hearing.
