Ridwan Adebayo
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC has arraigned Azubuike Ishiekwene before an Ikeja special offences court, Lagos, for alleged forgery and intent to defraud in the sum of N350 million.
Azubuike, the former managing director of The Punch Newspaper was charged alongside Olalekun Abdul, Adeyinka Adewale (absent) and Morakinyo Bolanle (now at large).
They were alleged to have committed offences, bordering on conspiracy to forge, forgery, using false document and falsification of book and account, which are contrary to sections 411, 365, 366 and 335 (2) of the criminal laws of Lagos state of Nigeria 2015 and also obtaining money by false pretence contrary to section 1(1),(2) of the advance free fraud and other related offences Act No. 14 of 2006.
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According to the EFCC prosecutor, Joy Amahian, the defendants used a false document, titled: “Board Resolution of Cleanserve Integrated Energy Solution Limited”, dated 27th day of September 2010 to open an account with Keystone Bank PLC, formerly known has Bank PHB as genuine.
The prosecutor further alleged that the defendants had intent to defraud and obtain credit facility for Cleanserve Integrated Energy Solution in the sum of N350 million by false pretence from Wema Bank by falsely representing to them that the “Board Resolution of Cleanserve Integrated Energy Solution”, dated 14th of December, 2010 is genuine, which representation you know to be false.”
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them by the commission.
In view of the defendants’ plea, the prosecutor requested the court to remand them in prison custody.
The prosecutor further brought to the attention of the court the absence of Adewale and that the commission would take proper actions to apprehend the defendant at large.
However, the defence counsel, Mr. Adeyinka (SAN), who is representing Olalekun Abdul and Adeyinka Adewale, requested that Abdul be granted bail by the court.
He further stated, that the third defendant is not on the run, as mentioned by the EFCC but was rather out of the country.
“The first defendant (Abdul) has been on administrative bail of the EFCC since 2018 and anytime he was invited to their office he never failed to honour their invitation.
“The interest at this stage is to ensure that the defendant comes for trial.
“We plea that he drops his international passport and if we can have a trial date for Friday, we will bring him to court. I undertake to also bring Adewale to court,” he said.
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Meanwhile, Mr. Muiz Banire (SAN), the defence counsel for Azubuike Ishiekwene, in his submission, asked the court to grant his client bail because the correctional facilities are congested.
“The maximum capacity of the prison is 800, as at today it is 3000,” Banire said.
After listening to all parties’ argument, Justice Mojisola Dada, granted bail to the defendant present in court. She said, “Due to the personal plea of the defence counsel on their attendance in court and the forfeiture of their international passports, temporary bail has been granted therein for the hearing of the bail application.
The case was adjourned to January 31, 2020.
