BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Two staff of a finance company, Bright Hope Multipurpose Nigeria Limited, Alekuwodo, Osogbo, Osun State, are now languishing at the Ilesa Correctional Centre for allegedly defrauding the firm to the tune of N16.5 million.
The defendants, a 25-year-old woman, Tosin Olatunbosun, and Ishola Azeez Ajayi, aged 30, were said to have committed the offences in separate circumstances under the guise of disbursing the said sum to some customers of the company.
Olatunbosun was alleged to have duped the company to the tune of N5.5 million while Ajayi was accused of defrauding the company of the sum of N11 million.
It was gathered that the duo, who were dragged before two separate Magistrate’s courts in Osogbo over offences of fraud, forgery and stealing of the said sum, had been relieved of their jobs.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Kayode Adeoye, told the court that Olatunbosun and Ajayi converted the company’s money for their own use when directed to disburse the same to the firm’s clients.
Adeoye said that the accused persons committed the offences between February and October, 2021 at Bright Hope Multipurpose Nigeria Limited, Alekuwodo, Osogbo, adding that the duo forged the documents and some records of the company to cover their tracks.
Their offences were said to be contrary to and punishable under sections 422, 467 and 491(A) of the Criminal Code, CAP 34, Volume Il, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002. The offences also contravened sections 383 and are punishable under Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code, CAP 34, Volume II, Laws of the state.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Defence counsel, Okobe Najite, prayed the court to grant the accused persons bail.
The prosecutor, however, objected to the oral application for bail on the grounds that the accused persons might jump bail if granted, as they had no fixed addresses.
Magistrate A.K. Ajala ignored the prosecution’s objection and granted Olatunbosun bail in the sum of N2 million with one surety in the same amount. The surety, he said, must be a resident of Osogbo with valid means of identification and a verifiable address.
Ajayi, who was arraigned before Magistrate A. A. Adebayo, was granted bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like amount.
One of the sureties, he said, must be a grade level 12 civil servant in Osun State, while the other surety must be an owner of a house or landed property.
Olatunbosun and Ajayi were remanded at the Ilesa Correctional Centre as they could not meet the bail conditions.
The case was adjourned till January 20, 2022 for mention.
