Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
A Chief Magistrate’s court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, on Wednesday, arraigned the media aide for the former governor of Ekiti, Ayodele Fayose, Mr Lere Olayinka, 47, over alleged stealing and fraud.
The defendant is standing trial on a three-count charge of abuse of office, stealing and fraud.
The prosecutor, Inspector Johnson Okunade, told the court that the defendant committed the offence between 2014 and 2018 while serving as the Director-General of the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State at Ilokun in Ado-Ekiti under Fayose.
He alleged that the defendant as a public officer allegedly abused his office when he failed to remit a commercial revenue accrued to the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State, totaling N13.5 million to the coffers of the government.
He also alleged that the defendant, also abused his office when he authorised travelling allowance totaling N7m in his name for journeys not embarked on.
Okunade added that the defendant also converted a sum of N13.5m belonging to the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State to his own personal use.
The prosecutor noted that the offences contravened section 104, 390(5) and 419 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
He asked the court for adjournment to enable him to study the case file and present his witnesses.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
His counsel and former Attorney General of Ekiti State, Mr Kolapo Kolade, urged the court to grant his client bail, with a promise that he would not jump bail.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Adesoji Adegboye, granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum having verifiable addresses.
Adegboye ruled that one of the sureties must be a community leader, while the second must produce proof of landed property ownership.
The magistrate subsequently adjourned the case until April 27, for hearing.
In his response, Olayinka described his detention by the police and
arraignment for alleged fraud as the usual political persecution that
can never get someone like him intimidated and silenced.
Olayinka advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in Ekiti State to focus on how to address its glaring non-performance instead of running after perceived opposition figures.
He said: “I was invited by the police and I willingly honoured the invitation because I have nothing to hide.
“It is however funny that after the police had agreed to grant me administrative bail yesterday and I was ready to meet the bail conditions, the state government put pressure on the police, seeking the invocation of ‘Form K’ to allow for my detention for two months.
“Whatever they planned to achieve with this, I can say it boldly that they have failed and I will never be harassed to submission. I am used to their tactics and as it happened eight years ago, tyranny will be defeated again.”