The Ondo State House of Assembly Speaker, Bamidele Oloyelogun, and two others have been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the state High Court in Akure over an alleged fraud of N2.4 million belonging to the Assembly.
The EFCC’s case was allowed to proceed by an Akure High Court that found it had jurisdiction over the matter.
The defendants, including a civil servant and two lawmakers, were arraigned before Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye and charged with fraud relating to a seminar they were supposed to attend but did not.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
During the trial’s commencement, the EFCC’s counsel asked the court to remand the defendants in the Olokuta Correctional Facility, but the defendants’ counsel argued that their administrative bail application was still active and requested that the court strike out the EFCC’s prayer for remand.
The defendants’ counsel also claimed that the Speaker had a health issue requiring urgent medical attention and asked the court to caution the nominal complainant in the case for allegedly sending messages to the Speaker that were intended to annoy him.
According to him, “If Ogundeji did not desist from such action, he would be prosecuted as his actions towards the Speaker is against the law.”
Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye, in his ruling, asked the defendants to enjoy their administrative bail till the next hearing date.
He, therefore, adjourned the case till May 18 for a proper hearing of the trial.