An investigator with Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Moday Moley, on Tuesday narrated how a former Executive Secretary, Lagos State Scholarship Board, Stephen Oshinowo, diverted the sum of N127million to personal use.
At the resumption of trial, EFCC’s counsel, Usman Buhari led in evidence Moley, who narrated how the defendant used his account domiciled in United Bank of Africa to perpetrate the alleged fraud on charge sheet.
Moley further told Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of Special Offences section of Lagos State High Court, Ikeja that sometime in 2018, the defendant received the sum of N30 million in three tranches of N10 million each from the account of Lagos State Scholarship Board, for the use of staff welfare and office renovation, but later converted same to personal use.
Moley stated that upon receiving the petition, the Commission immobilized the defendant’s accounts and commenced an investigation into the allegations. He noted that as at the time of freezing the account, the defendant had converted parts of the proceeds of the alleged fraud to personal use.
The investigator said the defendant sent part of the proceeds to his wife, Adenike, paid for flight trips, supermarket sales, POS transactions and kept others in a fixed deposit account.
After the testimony, Usman Buhari sought to tender the statements of the defendant. But the defendant’s counsel, Lawal Pedro, SAN, opposed on the grounds that the defendant’s statement was obtained under physical and emotional torture.
The judge ordered for trial within trial to determine if the statement was obtained as alleged.
The defendant was arraigned on amended eight-count charges bordering on criminal conversion.
The EFCC said investigation conducted revealed that Osinowo, at various times, allegedly diverted to his personal use the said sum meant for the Board. He pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.
Segun Kasali
No comments:
Post a Comment