The trial of former Executive Director of the Punch Newspaper, Azubike Ishekwene, and Olalekan Abdul before an Ikeja Special Offences Court over fraud allegations resumes today.
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, arraigned the duo before Justice Mojisola Dada on an amended 15-count charge, bordering on forgery, conspiracy to forge, using false documents, making documents without authority and obtaining money by false pretence.
Kunle Adegoke (SAN) appeared for Ishekwene while Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN) appeared for Abdul, 1st defendant.
The EFCC prosecutor, Muhammad Idris, told the court that the defendants used a false document titled: “Board Resolution of Cleanserve Integrated Energy Solution Limited” dated 27th day of September, 2010 to open an account with Keystone Bank Plc formerly known has Bank PHB as genuine.
The prosecutor alleged that the defendants with intent to defraud and obtain credit facility for Cleanserve Integrated Energy Solution in the sum of N350,000,000.00 by false pretence from Wema Bank by falsely representing to them that the “Board Resolution of Cleanserve Integrated Energy Solution” dated 14th December, 2010 as genuine which representations they knew to be false.
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The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.
Today’s proceedings is continuation of cross examination of the second prosecutor witness by the defence team.
At the last proceedings, Counsel to the first defendant, Olumide Fusika, SAN, had engaged the witness, Professor Ndubuize Onyebuchi over the disparity in the signature on Wema and Zenith Bank documents to clear his clients name.
