The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has taken legal action against a couple, Oriyomi Idowu and Ruth Idowu, for their alleged involvement in a fraud amounting to N2.7 billion. They were arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos.
The couple faced a total of 20-count charges, which included obtaining money by false pretense, money laundering, stealing, retention of stolen property, and forgery. The offenses were said to have occurred within the jurisdiction of the court.
The charges involved various companies, namely Food Commodity Processing Enterprise, Bonway Food Processing Company Limited, Samee Idowu Company Limited, and Farmex Integrated Companies Limited, all of which belonged to Ruth Idowu.
One of the counts stated that the defendants converted the sum of N10 million to purchase a GLK Benz, with the funds derived from converting the sum of N500 million belonging to Creditpro Business Support Services. The aim was to disguise the illegal origin of the funds.
Another count alleged that the defendants dishonestly retained the sum of N936,619,876 in a UBA bank account, which was the property of Creditpro Business Support Services. They were accused of knowing that the funds were fraudulently obtained from the said company.
During the court proceedings, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them. In response, the prosecution counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, requested a trial date and asked for the defendants to be remanded in a Correctional Facility.
The counsel representing the first defendant informed the court about the bail application, which had not yet been served to the prosecution. The defense requested the defendants’ remand in the custody of the EFCC and sought an adjournment to hear and determine the bail application.
However, the prosecution objected to the request, citing overcrowding in the EFCC holding facility. They asserted that the appropriate place for the defendants, following arraignment, was a Correctional Center.
Considering the circumstances, Justice Dada held that no bail application was presented for the second defendant, whose counsel had yet to file one.
As a result, the court adjourned the matter to December 15, 2023, and ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Correctional Centre until the hearing and determination of their bail applications.
