Justice
Patricia Ajoku of the Federal High Court 1, sitting in Ibadan, Oyo
State has ordered the remand of a fake native doctor, Fatai Olalere
Alli (a.k.a. Baba Abore, Baba Oshun), and two others - Adigun Fatai
Olusegun and Olufemi Kolawole - in prison custody pending the filing,
hearing and determination of their bail applications.
The
accused persons were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office, on Tuesday, October 29, 2019,
on criminal charges bordering on conspiracy, money laundering and
obtaining money by false pretense.
The
court had earlier granted the Commission’s prayer for an order of
interim forfeiture of properties traced to Alli as well as freezing
of accounts he allegedly used to received proceeds of crime.
According
to the count-one of the charges, Olusegun and Kolawole conspired with
Alli to obtain money under false pretenses from one Attiogbe, Daniel
Babatunde.
The
charges against the trio contravene Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee
Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, Section 1 (10 (a)
and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other
Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money
Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012 (As Amended) and punishable under
Section 15 (3) of the same Act.
Before
their arrest, the Commission had received several intelligence
reports linking Alli to series of fraud allegations involving large
sums of money.
Details
on the intelligence alleged that he engages in money doubling through
which he swindled and collected money from his victims with the
promise of using his ‘spiritual powers’ to multiply the sums for
them, but would instead divert same to his personal use.
He
was arrested on July 9, 2019. His confessions later led to the arrest
of his conspirators.
The
Commission thereafter filed an application seeking an interim
forfeiture order of the properties and accounts of the suspects.
The
application is pursuant to Sections 28, 29, and 34(1) of the Economic
and Financial Crimes Co mission (Establishment) Act, 2004, Sections
333 and 337 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015,
Section 44 (1)2)(k) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria (As Amended) and under the Interim Jurisdiction of the
Honourable Court.
Justice
Ajoku granted the application of the EFCC and ordered that the
properties of the suspects be temporarily forfeited to the Federal
Government of Nigeria.
She
also ordered the freezing of their bank accounts pending the
conclusion of the investigation, prosecution and final determination
of the cases against them.
The
properties include five buildings, three cars and hectares of farm
land.
Today,
the accused persons were called upon to take their plea.
They
all pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
Alli
pleaded not guilty to 22-count charges, Olusegun pleaded not guilty
to 32-count charges, while Kolawole pleaded not guilty to his
one-count charge of conspiracy.
Due
to the not-guilty plea, prosecution counsel, Oluwatinuwe Daramola,
prayed the court for a trial date and an order to remand the accused
persons in prison custody.
However.
counsels to the accused persons prayed the court for a short date to
hear the applications of their respective clients.
Bala
Yakubu represented Alli, Babatunde Ajibola stood in for Olusegun,
while Oluwole Adeosun advocated for Kolawole.
The
presiding judge, however, refused their prayers stating that their
applications were not yet before the court.
She
said the court registrar would communicate the date for bail argument
to the parties once the applications are properly brought before the
court.
Justice
Ajoku then ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison
custody as she adjourned the matter to November 22, 2019 for trial.
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