Former Minister of Works, Senator Ogunlewe and 2 others remanded in prison custody over N400m fraud allegation
Former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe was on Friday arraigned before the Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta, on 18 counts, bordering on conspiracy, stealing, obtaining money by false pretences and abuse of office.
Ogunlewe, who is the Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), and two others are standing trial for alleged N400m fraud.
They were arraigned by the EFCC before Justice O.O Majekodunmi.
The prosecution counsel, Bennedict Ubi and Festus Ojo accused the trio that “between the month of September and October, 2013 at Abeokuta within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud did deposit the sum of N400m, property of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta in a fixed deposit account without due process.”
The former minister and the Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, Prof. Olusola Oyewole, alongside the Bursar of the institution, Mr. Moses Ilesanmi, all pleaded not guilty to the charges of misappropriation of funds.
In view of their plea, the prosecution counsel then asked the court that the accused be remanded in prison custody pending the commencement of trial.
Wale Adesokan (SAN), Benjamin Ogunmodede and Lapite Ademola who were the respective defense counsel for the trio, however urged the court to admit them to bail having filed the various applications before the court.
The Presiding judge, Justice Majekodunmi, granted the first and second defendants (Ogunlewe and Oyewole) bail in the sum of N50m with two sureties in like sum and that the sureties must own properties within the court’s jurisdiction and one of them must be a civil servant on grade level 15.
They are also to submit their passports to the court registrar.
They were ordered to be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of their bail conditions.
