N5.5m Fraud: Court Revokes Accused Bail
Justice Jude Okeke of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja on Thursday, October 6, 2016 revoked the bail granted to one Solomon Yakubu Ndam, a former staff of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, who is standing trial on a 13 count charge of forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N5, 540,000.00 (five million, five hundred and forty thousand naira) brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Ndam allegedly obtained the money from some unsuspecting persons, claiming that he would help them acquire plots of land being sold by PHCN.
The offence is punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Cap 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990.
However, the accused was granted bail by the court after he was arraigned on July 7, 2015 and the case went into trial.
The decision of the court to revoke his bail today was informed by the application by his surety, Tijani Haruna, to withdraw without giving the court any reason.
Justice Okeke, in granting his application, ruled that the accused person be remanded in Kuje prison pending the time he would get a new surety, adding that all documents belonging to Haruna be returned to him.
Thereafter, counsel to EFCC, Samuel Okeleke, entered his fifth prosecution witness, PW5, Olushola Adewumi.
Adewumi, a staff of the First Bank of Nigeria Plc, said he received a subpoena to produce certain documents and witness in the case.
“All customer details are captured in the bank’s database and we also demand that the customer furnish us with bank mandates which include his pictures, names and signature.
“We also produced the certificate of identification of the customer and the name of the account is Babatunde Kolawole”, Adewumi stated.
Justice Okeke adjourned to November 28, 2016 for ruling, while fixing October 25, 2016 for continuation of trial.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
6th October, 2016