Alleged N2.5bn fraud: Court grants Ogun Speaker, Oluomo, 2 other accomplices N500m bail

Following his arraignment for alleged N2.5 billion graft and stealing from the public till, the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, was on Tuesday granted bail in the sum of N300 million.

Arraigned alongside with Oluomo are the Director of Finance of the State Assembly Commission, Oladayo Samuel, and the Clerk of the House/Permanent Secretary, Adeyemo Taiwo, who were also granted bails.

The trio is facing trial before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on 11-count charge of conspiracy, forgery, and stealing slammed on them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Persecondnews had reported that the Speaker was arrested on September 1 at the Murtala Mohammed lnternational Airport, lkeja, while trying to board a flight to the U.S.

The APC chieftain and an ally of Gov. Dapo Abiodun, had been invited by the EFCC several times but he dishonoured their invitations.

Ruling on the bail applications of the defendants at their arraignment on Tuesday, Justice Osiagor, granted Oluomo bail in the sum of N300 million with two sureties in like sum following no objections from the EFCC.

In granting bail to the speaker, Justice Osiagor held that one of his sureties must be not less than a level 16 officer in the civil service while the other must possess landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

The court also granted the second and third defendants — Samuel and Taiwo — bails in the sum of N100 million each with two sureties each also in like sum.

One of their sureties, according to the judge, must not be less than a level 14 officer in the civil service and the other must also possess landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

While the defendants were directed to deposit their travel documents with the registrar of the court, all the sureties were required to possess three years of tax clearance and swear to an affidavit of means.

Meanwhile, the defendants will be remanded in the custody of the EFCC for a week after which they will be transferred to the Abeokuta Division of the court for further orders on their remand, pending when they meet their bail conditions.