Alleged N313.2m Fraud: Court To Hear Akala, Others’ Bail Application Today

Justice Hadiza RabiuShagari of a Federal High Court sitting Lagos, will today, October 24, 2017 hear the bail application filed by Honourable Akala Anthony (aka General), Umar Ali, Saidi Oke, and Bashir Mohammed.

The Judge fixed the date, after the suspects were arraigned on an alleged N313.2 million fraud charge, preferred against them by the Nigeria Police.

Prior to the fixing of the date, the court had consequent upon the alleged failure of the Nigeria Police to bring to court the four suspects, issued a bench warrant against the four suspects and their sureties.

According to the Police, six out of the 10-man gang still at large are Dr. Chukwuemeka Anyanwu, Agboola Rasheed Gbade, Nkechi Nwafor and Larry Balogun Otunba, who were said to have jumped bail.

Also, the two firms mentioned in the suit with the charge No: FHC/L/327c/17 are Grantland Investment Nigeria Limited and Abroad Development Foundation.

When the matter came up last week before Justice Rabiu-Shagari, the Prosecutor, Maroof Animashaun, prayed the court to issue a bench warrant against the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth Defendants.

The Prosecutor also informed the court, that all the suspects had been served with the charge, and properly informed of their arraignment. In issuing the bench warrant, Justice Rabiu-Shagari, directed the Prosecutor to separate the charge, so that the plea of the first to fourth Defendants who have been in police custody for over four months, could be taken.

The directive to have the charge separated, became possible consequent upon an application made by their lawyers, Akeem Balogun and Bala Usman.

According to the charge, it was the contention of the police, that all the Defendants and others now at large, had on June 15, 2017, at Lekki, Lagos, conspired among themselves and fraudulently obtained the sums of N313.200 million from one Austin Albert, under the pretence of assisting him to buy $1 million USD.

The police said the offences contravene sections 8(b) and were punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.