EFCC arraigns Ogun Speaker, others for alleged N2.5bn fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arraigned the Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, for allegedly diverting N2.5 billion belonging to the Assembly.

Others arraigned alongside the Speaker were the Clerk of the House, Taiwo Adeyemo, and Oladayo Samuel, the Director of Finance.

They were arraigned before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court Lagos.

The EFCC had accused Oluomo and others of forging receipts, and signatures to divert huge amounts of money, running into billions of Naira.

They have pleaded not guilty to the 11-count charge preferred against them.

Meanwhile, the court has granted the Speaker and others bail.

Oluomo, who is the first defendant, was granted bail in the sum of N300 million, with two sureties in like sum.

One of the sureties, the court said, must be a Level-16 civil servant in the Federal Civil Service.

The other defendants were granted bail in the sum of N100 million each, with two sureties each in like sum, one of whom must not be less than a Level-14 officer in the civil service.

The court held that all the sureties must possess landed properties within the court’s jurisdiction, with evidence of three-year tax clearance, while swearing to an affidavit of means.

Oluomo and other defendants have been asked to submit their travel documents at the court registry.