FG arraigns Emirates Airline officials over $1.6m theft
The federal government yesterday arraigned four Emirates Airline staff before Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos over an alleged theft of $1.6 million belonging to one Prince Chu Ikem Orji.
Abayomi Adekanbi Abiola, Isiaka Adegoke Adedeji, Awonubi Abayomi and George Ikpekhia were arraigned alongside the airline, Pathfinders International Ltd and Nigeria Aviation Handling Company Ltd.
The accused persons were arraigned an 11 counts charge bordering on stealing, fraud, obtaining money under false pretence, wilful destruction of evidence and failure to report an international transfer of fund. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecution lawyer, Michael O. S. urged the court to remand the accused persons in prison custody pending the hearing of their bail applications.
Defence lawyer, Awa Kalu (SAN) told the court that the bail applications had been filed and the prosecution had been served. He added that the accused persons had already been granted bail by Justice Abang when they were initially arraigned before him and urged the court to allow the accused to continue to enjoy the bail since it had not been revoked.
However, the prosecution lawyer insisted that the accused should be remanded because he had been served copies of the bail applications and needed time to reply.
He said the charge before Abang was different from the amended charge.
However, Justice Idris, in his submissions disclosed that bail is a right of every accused person and not a privilege, and the court admitted the accused persons to bail in the sum of N5million with one surety each. The surety, according to the court, must have landed property within the court’s jurisdiction and all the accused persons must deposit their passports with the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar. The case was adjourned till May 25 for trial. The palace of the Alaagba of Aagba in Osun State, Oba Rufus Ogunwole, was yesterday vandalised by hoodlums who destroyed property worth millions of naira including 8 vehicles. The hoodlums stormed the palace located at IsaleAyo in Aagba town, Boripe LGA, wielding dangerous weapons. No fewer than eight vehicles were destroyed while several crowns and the monarch’s staff-of-office were taken away.