By Christopher Oji
Former Managing Director of an aviation fuelling company, Star Orient Nigeria Limited, Dare Osamo, a lawyer and one other were yesterday arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court sitting in Yaba over alleged theft of N1bn.
The defendants, Osamo, Ayoola Olore Abisola,30, and Hussaina Abdulkadir, 32 ,were docked before Magistrate Mrs A.A Oshiniyi on four-count- charge bordering on forgery and stealing by Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan.
At the resumed proceedings, the prosecutor, Jimoh Joseph, informed said the defendants have been under investigation for 18 months before they were brought to the court following the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP)’s advice that they have a case to answer.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their not guilty plea, Magistrate (Mrs) Oshuniyi granted them bail in the sum of N5 million with two responsible sureties in like sum and one of them must be a blood relative.
Oshuniyi, further ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed;must provide details of their residential address and evidence of tax payment to the state government.
Earlier in their plea for mercy, counsel to the 1st-3rd defendants, Messers O.T Adebayo and Adejo Mordecia, prayed the court to grant them bail on liberal terms, saying that they had never missed appointments with the police and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) during the period of investigation.
Parts of the charges read: “ That you, Dare Osamo, (male), Ayoola Olore Abisola 30 (f) and Hussaina Abdulkadir (f) and others at large , sometimes between the year 2016 and 2019 at Star Orient Nigeria Limited at JUH12, Muritala Mohammed Airport , Ikeja, Lagos, did conspire to commit forgery, obtaining money by false pretense and stealing, thereby committing offences punishable under section 411 of the Criminal laws of Lagos State, 2015.
“That you Dare Osamo (m) Ayoola Olore Abisola 30 (f) and Hussaina Abdulkadir (f) and others at large, on the aforesaid date did forge a Star Orient Nigeria Limited Board Resolution dated July 31, 2018, and December 15, 2015 with the intent it may be used or acted upon as genuine to the prejudice members of the public, Corporate Affairs Commission, First City Monument Bank and Access Bank and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 365(1), Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
“That you Dare Osamo (m)Ayoola Olore Abisola 30 (f) and Hussaina Abdulkadir (f) and others at large on the aforesaid date did obtained the sum of N1,605,019,015,01 ( one billion, six hundred and five million, nineteen thousand fifteen naira , one kobo), from Star Orient Nigeria Limited, in the pretense of selling and buying Aviation products, a representation you know to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 314(1) and (3) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos state , 2015.”