An Oyo State High Court on Tuesday ruled against the bail applications filed by the former Head of Service in the state, Mrs. Kudirat Adeleke, and 11 others, who are standing trial for a N5.6bn pension fraud.
Justice Bolaji Yusuf, who gave the ruling during the Tuesday sitting in Ibadan, said counsel for the 12 accused persons could not convince the court to rule in their clients’ favour.
Adeleke, Muili Aderemi, Iyabo Giwa, Adesina Ayoade, Oguntayo Banji, Adebiyi Olasunmbo, Muili Adedamola, Adeduntan Johnson, Johnson Bosede, Kareem Rasheed, Olujimi Adebayo and Adewale Kehinde are all standing trial for alleged embezzlement of pension fund totalling N5.6bn, which belonged to teachers in the state.
The 12 suspected pension thieves were first arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission on November 7 on 213 counts of conspiracy, obtaining money through false pretences and forgery.
The charge sheet stated that the accused persons withdrew the sums in bits from accounts belonging to the Oyo State Local Government Staff Pension Board between September 2010 and March 2011. They however pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Some of them were seeking bail on health ground while others said they were entitled to bail.
While reviewing the documents presented to the court to argue the bail applications, the judge held that all the accused persons, who wanted to be granted bail on health ground, did not give any convincing evidence to prove that they were suffering from poor health.
Punch
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