Court Remands Man Over Allege Stealing, Defrauding Cooperative Money

By Abdullahi Omotayo

An Osun State Magistrate Court has remanded in prison, one Michael Ona Orohu, 46, over alleged stealing and defrauding a group, Food and Agriculture Development Foundation (FADEF) of N2.5m. 

The charge sheet read in the court disclosed that the accused person on November 14, 2017 at about 09:00hrs at Heritage Bank in Osogbo, did steal cash sum of N2.5m property of FADEF, thereby committing an offence contrary to section 383(1) and punishable under section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria.

It also stated that the suspect had on November 22, same year at Alleluyah Estate, forged a Bank of Industry term loan document with intent to defraud FADEF and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 465 and punishable under section 467 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria.

The counsel to the accused person, Barrister Amaechi Ngwu prayed the court to grant the accused person bail in most liberal terms as the accused person was ready to provide reliable sureties.

He informed the court that the accused is said to be the president of the cooperative and the matter before the court is a cooperative group matter which is currently being settled.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Fatoba Temitope objected the bail application on the ground that the suspect would jump bail considering the amount of money involved.

Fatoba added that the accused person spent over 20 days at the police custody because he could not provide reliable sureties.

He further disclosed that the accused person is having a pending petition filed against him at the State CID, in view of which he prayed the court to deny the bail application.

Presiding magistrate, F.A. Sodamade ordered the remand of the accused person in prison custody until he answers the present pending petition against him at the State CID.

The magistrate thereby adjourned the case till April 9, 2018.