The former Head of Service (HOS) in Oyo State, Alhaja Kudirat Adeleke, and 11 other suspects in were today remanded in Agodi Prison, Ibadan, Oyo State over an alleged N5.6 billion pension fraud.
They were remanded by Justice Bolaji Yusuf of High Court 3 after she fixed November 14 for hearing of applications for bail.
The other 11 persons are Muili Aderemi, Iyabo Giwa, Adesina Ayoade, Oguntayo Banji, Adebiyi Olasunbo and Muili Adedamola. Others are Adeduntan Johnson, Johnson Abosede, Kareem Rasheed, Olujimi Adebayo and Adewale Kehinde. All the 11 were members of staff of the Oyo State Local Government Staff Pension Board.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) preferred a 213-count charge bordering on fraudulently obtaining N5.6 billion through false pretence, forgery and stealing between 2010 and 2011 against the 12 accused persons.
They pleaded “Not guilty” to all the charges.
The money was meant for gratuities of primary school teachers who retired in 2010 and 2011.
Lead prosecution counsel, Mr Gbolahan Latona had earlier amended the charge in correction of some typographical errors. None of defence counsel opposed the amendment.
In the charge sheet, the commission alleged that the accused fraudulently withdrew between N8 million and N9 million at each time in false pretence that the sums were meant for gratuities of the various names with which they withdrew the huge amount totaling N5.6 billion. They were accused of forging treasury receipts of various local governments to make the claims.
While charges one to 166 applied to all of the accused, they were individually accused of stealing between N15 million and N138 million each through the means between October, 2010 and March 2011 in subsequent charges.
The charge sheet showed names used to withdraw the money at different times to include Kareem R. W. (N8,975,000), Muili D. A. (N8,900,000), Adedeji S. A. (N8,950,000), Oyetunji Taiwo (N8,980,000), Muili H. A. (N9,100,000) and Oluokun F. (N8,900,000).
Other names include Olomide I. O. (N8,990,000), Giwa M. I. (N9,200,000), Adewale K. A. (N9,150,000), Olujinmi Bayo (N8,900,000), Saka Mi. I. (N8,980,000) and Oyebamiji A. S. (N8,950,000).
Latona urged the court to remand the accused persons in prison custody until next adjourned date but defence counsel opposed it and opted for EFCC custody from where they were brought to the court.
The judge, however, ordered them to be remanded in prison custody which falls within the jurisdiction of the court till next adjourned date when applications for bail will be heard.
The arraignment lasted for over seven and a half hours.
Meanwhile, as the arraignment went on, the premises of the Oyo State high Court on Ring Road became a protest ground for hundreds of angry pensioners yesterday as they called for Justice in the trial of the accused persons.
The affected pensioners gathered in the expansive court premises to protest while the case was being heard yesterday. They carried placards, praying God to retrieve their money from the alleged fraudsters.
Their spokesman, Mr Tunji Ogunwale, explained that most of them retired in 2011. According to him, they were disappointed on learning that their gratuities had been stolen by some members of staff of the Board. Because of that, he said they were not enrolled for pension, neither was their gratuities on sight.
Ogunwale said: “Most of us here retired in 2011. The usual process is that retired teachers are enrolled for pension immediately at retirement and wait for a while to receive their gratuities. But in our own case, they did not enroll us. They said our gratuities had been stolen by some members of staff of the pension board. It was disheartening for people that have served their fatherland for 35 years.
“After making efforts, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, who granted us audience twice, decided to enroll us for pension in January this year. So, we now earn pension. But that means that many of us are still unable to collect 17 months pension arrears (the months before January, 2013) and we do not know yet if and when our gratuities will be paid. That is why we are here. We want the court to retrieve our money from these people. We deserve our gratuity.”
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