BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The aggrieved members of the Olanrewaju Social Club, Osogbo, Osun State, have dragged a former Chairman of the club, Omolola Taiwo, before a Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo, the state capital over alleged N1,025,000 fraud.
The plaintiffs, led by their incumbent chairman, Oladosu Kasimu, accused Taiwo of withdrawing the said amount in bits at different times from the association’s account without due approval and without refunding the sums that were reportedly withdrawn.
The Police prosecutor, Inspector Olayiwola Rasaq, informed the court that the defendant committed the offence during his tenure as the club’s Chairman. Facts on the alleged financial impropriety was said to have been discovered after the expiration of his tenure.
According to Rasaq, the defendant, aged 41, with others now at large, had between 2016 and April, 2017, at Access Bank, Orisunbare area, Osogbo, conspired to defraud the club of the said amount.
He said that Taiwo withdrew sums of N440,000, N485,000, and N100,000 totalling N1,025, 000, contributed by members of the club.
The charge read, “That Omolola Taiwo, on the same dates and place, did steal the sum of N440,000 and 485,000, that you fraudulently obtained from Access Bank with cheque number 24069881, property of Olarenwaju Social Club Osogbo under the chairmanship of one Oladosu Kasimu without their (members’) consent.
“That you fraudulently obtained the sum of N100,000 from Olanrewaju Social Club Osogbo with a promise to refund it within a short period but failed to do so. That you (Taiwo) did convert to your own use and failed to refund the sum of N100,000 (that) you obtained from Olanrewaju Social Club Osogbo.”
Rasaq contended that the accused person committed offences contrary to and punishable under Sections 419, 390(9) and 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2003.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the five count-charge bothering on stealing and fraud. The defence counsel, A. Fatimo, urged the court to commit Taiwo to bail on the ground that he was ready to provide reliable sureties.
Magistrate M. A. Olatunji granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties. She ruled that one of the sureties should be a civil servant while the other must possess evidence of three-year-tax clearance and must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court.
The matter was adjourned till September 13 for hearing.
