Obakin Ajibola was charged on Tuesday by the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission with four counts related to an alleged theft of N251,685,000 from a company called Lee Fakino Nigeria Limited, where the accused had also served as a director.
Wilson Uwujaren, the anti-graft agency’s head of media and publicity, stated in a statement that the defendant allegedly committed the claimed violation in Ibadan sometime in December 2022.
The defendant, who was listed as one of the company’s two directors and a signatory to its account, is accused of taking money out of the account without the knowledge or permission of Akindele Fajemiyo, the company’s managing director and chief executive officer, who is also a signatory.
According to allegations, Obakin deleted the MD/CEO’s contact information and email address from the bank account information for Lee Fakino Nigeria Limited, which allowed him to monitor the account and receive transaction alerts.
According to the statement, “Obakin later withdrew the said sum from the firm’s account, which was money paid for works completed by Lee Fakino Nigeria Limited for the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture between December 22, 2022, and March 9, 2023, without notifying Fajemiyo.”Obakin entered a “not guilty” plea to the allegations brought against him by the EFCC at his arraignment.In light of the defendant’s plea, the prosecution’s attorney, Oyelakin Oyediran, requested that the court set a date for the trial and remand the defendant to the correctional institution while the case was being resolved.
Ibrahim Lawal, the defendant’s attorney, pleaded with the court to grant bail to his client.The defendant was admitted to bail in the amount of N50 million with two sureties, ideally the defendant’s wife and younger brother, in the same amount.
Along with that, “The sureties are to swear an affidavit of means, deposit their National Identification Slip with the court, and provide the court with adequate residential addresses.”
The defendant was further asked to give the court both his National Identification Slip and home address.
The case was continued for hearing on October 23, 2023.
