Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
The Ilorin zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Tuesday arraigned one Mustapha Ilyas Abdulwasiu, a lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, on offences bordering on employment scam and obtaining money under false pretence.
Mustapha was arraigned on a nine-count charge before Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of a Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin.
The EFCC alleged that the defendant, a lecturer in the Accounting Department of the polytechnic, had at different times in 2018 and 2019 defrauded many job seekers, mostly couples, under the false pretence of helping them secure employment at the institution.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Mustapha Ilyas Abdulwasiu, between June and July 2018 at Offa, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N600,000.00 (six hundred thousand naira) from one Amubiaya Raphael Oluwafemi by false pretence that you were in charge of employment at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, and obtained the money for the purpose of securing employment for the said Amubiaya Raphael Oluwafemi and his wife, Amubiaya Remi Janet, which representation you knew to be false and, thereby, committed an offence contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, No. 14, 2006.”
Count nine of the charge reads: “That you, Mustapha Ilyas Abdulwasiu, between December 2018 and February 2019 at Offa within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N550,000.00 (five hundred and fifty thousand naira) from one Mustapha Kabir by false pretence that you were in charge of employment at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, and you obtained the money for the purpose of securing employment for the said Mustapha Kabir and his wife, Jimoh Ganiyatu, which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, No 14, 2006.”
The 36-year-old lecturer pleaded not guilty when the nine-count charges were read to him.
Prosecuting counsel A A Adebayo, told Justice Sikiru Oyinloye: “My Lord, considering the plea of the defendant, we humbly apply for a trial date to enable the prosecution to prove its case; we also pray your Lordship to remand the accused person in prison custody. These are my humble applications, my Lord ”
Defence counsel M O Balogun in his response said “My Lord, we shall not be opposing the application seeking adjournment to enable the prosecution to open its case. However, we urge your Lordship to allow us to make an oral application for the bail of the defendant on the grounds that I have just been served with the charge this morning.”
The prosecuting counsel, however, refuted the claims, saying that the accused person was served with the charge since the 14th of October.
Justice Oyinloye after confirming that Mustapha was served since 14th of October said the bail application should be filed and adjourned the hearing till the 7th of November 2019.
The judge also ordered that the accused lecturer should be remanded in Mandala Prison pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.