(By Lukman Olabiyi)
The Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police Force, on Thursday, arraigned one Abiodun Adisa, the Managing Director of Picket Suites and Services Limited, before a Federal High Court, Lagos State, for issuing dud cheque of total value of N130 million.
Adisa was arraigned on a 15 count-charge bordering on the alleged offence.
The SFU, in the charge, alleged that the accused had, between August 22, 2016 and June 30, 2017, issued 15 Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) cheques to one Okechukwu Enelameh, of Fredliz Estates Limited.
The SFU, however, stated but upon presenting the cheques for payment, they were dishonoured for lack of funds in the accused person’s account.
The SFU, through its prosecutor, Mr. Slyvester Azubike, had listed in the charge the cheque numbers issued by the accused person as follows: 53547337, 53547338, 53547339, 53547340, 53547341, 53547342, 53547349, 53547350, 53547343, 53547344, 53547345, 53547346, 53547347, 53547348 and 53547364.
The offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. Slyvester Azubike, are contrary to and punishable under section 1(a)(i) of the Dishonoured Cheques (offences) Act Cap. D11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Following the not guilty plea by the accused, his lawyer, Mr. Adewale Olawoyin, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), pleaded with the court to grant his client bail in liberal terms, pending the trial.
Olawoyin (SAN) told the court that in urging the court for bail, he had filed a bail application dated December 21, 2017, and such has been served on the prosecution.
Lawyer to the accused also told the court that the bail application was pursuant to section 158 and 163 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, and Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, as amended.
Olawoyin (SAN) particularly informed the court to discountenance the allegation made by the prosecution that his client will not come to court if granted bail, saying that even when the accused was granted administrative bail, he travelled to America for medical treatment, and he willingly reported back to the police on his arrival.
Olawoyin (SAN), therefore, pleaded with the court to grant his client’s bail application.
Responding, the prosecutor, Mr. Azubike, told the that police filed 15 paragraph counter-affidavit, adding that the nature of the accused person’s sickness was unknown to the police, and that the medical report attached with the bail application was from unknown government hospital in Nigeria.
The prosecutor, therefore urged the court to refused the bail application, stating that the police is of the opinion that the accused be unable to attend trial, if granted bail.
After listened to the submissions of both parties, the presiding judge, Justice Hadiza Rabiu-Shagari, while ordered that the accused be remanded in prisons custody, adjourned till January 3, 2018, for ruling on the bail application.