The court trial of some Ibadan based bankers indicted over the theft of N8 billion worth of mutilated banknotes was yesterday told of the stupendous wealth of the suspects.
The suspects, including a
self-acclaimed illiterate bank staff were alleged to have acquired petrol
stations, shopping malls in Nigeria and abroad, exotic cars, supermarkets,
among others.
Mr. Ayodeji Alase, one of the
suspects and a holder of primary six certificate, was alleged to have acquired
property including a duplex at Oluyole, a shopping complex, warehouse at Podo,
Challenge and a fenced plot at Dugbe in Ibadan.
He was also alleged to own a four
flat building at Apeye, two plots of land, five-bedroom flat in Apete, Ibadan,
a supermarket at New Garage, Apata Expressway.
However, a mild drama took place in
the court as Alase, delayed the proceedings of the court, claiming he did not
understand English language after working for years at First Bank Plc as a cash
officer.
Alase, who had earlier answered
questions asked him by the trial judge, Justice A. O Faaji wanting to know the
whereabouts of his counsel and his name, however, turned around to tell the
same judge that he did not understand English language when the first count
charge was read to him.
Rotimi Jacob, SAN, who tried to
fault his claim said the accused was employed as a guard but was promoted to a
cash assistant in the bank.
The trial judge then said since he
insisted he did not understand English, an interpreter had to be used to
translate the charges to him in Yoruba and also the proceedings of the court so
that the accused would not be shut out.
The interpreter initially secured,
however, found the job difficult forcing the judge to screen another person for
the job of interpretation.
The other accused persons, Olaniran
Muniru Adeola, Ayodele Festus Adeyemi, Isiaq Akano and others were all alleged
to own property in South Africa, petrol
stations, cement shops, schools, supermarket, exotic cars, buildings in several places.
All the eight accused persons, who were docked were denied bail and
were remanded in Agodi Prison pending the determination of the bail
applications they had filed.
All the efforts by Mr. Olayemi
Fasina, counsel to Alase to present an oral bail application were unsuccessful
as the court told him that it would be unfair to hear his oral application when
other counsel had filed their applications.
The cases were heard in batches by
the court. The first batch of accused persons who were slammed with a 28-count
charge, are Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Adeola, Toogun Phillip, Ayodele
Adeyemi, Isiaq Akano, Oyebamiji Akeem, Ayodeji Alase, Ajiwe Sunday Adegoke and
Idowu Oguntade, who is still at large. Three officials of the CBN were among
the accused while others were from Wema Bank Plc and First Bank Plc.
The three CBN staff, who were docked
yesterday also appeared among a new set of accused.
They were Toogun Phill, Kolawole
Babalola and Olaniran Muniru Adeola.
Rotimi Jacob, SAN, who had a retinue
of other counsel held brief for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, which prosecuted the accused persons.
-Vanguard
