The former Vice-Chancellor of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, Professor Adekunle Oloyede has approached the state High Court asking for a setting aside of his conviction for $720,000.00 fraud at the Magistrate court.

Mrs. Aderemi Adegoroye, a Chief Magistrate, in her judgment delivered on 25th January 2023, found the Australia-based professor of Medical Engineering guilty of all six-count charges of conspiracy to steal, obtain by false pretence, obtaining under false pretences of the sum of Seven Hundred and Twenty Dollars ($720,000.00) on 3rd March 2015 under the pretext of constructing 500-bed space hostel at Elizade University using panel building technology from Australia.

Professor Oloyede was also accused of obtaining another Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) on 28 April 2017 from Mike Ade Investment Limited for Duro Global Property Limited for the same purpose of constructing a 500-bed hostel.

He was also alleged to have obtained another One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00) on 19 May 2015 from Omimeje Resources Limited for Duro Global Property Limited for the same purpose of constructing a 500-bed hostel.

He was also accused of another Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($650,000.00) from Elizade Investment Limited for the same purpose. According to the Ondo State Director of Public Prosecution represented by Mr O.E Akintan, the alleged offence was contrary to and punishable under Section 419 of the state Criminal Code.

He pleaded not guilty.

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However, at trial, Prof. Oloyede insisted he did not connive with anyone but merely acted as an intermediary and introduced the two parties.

He claimed no knowledge of when Chief Ade Ojo, owner of Elizade University, paid $720,000.00 or $250, 00.00 or $150, 000.00 to Duro Global Property Limited.

He told the court that it was after Adeojo had sent the money that he (Chief Michael Ade Ojo) informed him about it. He also said he was not at the meeting where the parties agreed to the contract between them.

He said the reason $650,000.00 was sent to him (which was the only money that passed through him) was because of his role under the Power of Attorney.

He also told the court that Chief Ade Ojo paid $720,000.00, $250, 00.00 or $150,000 to Duro Global Property Limited. He said it was after Chief Ade Ojo had sent the money that he (Chief Michael Ade Ojo) informed him about it. He also said he was not at the meeting where the parties agreed to the contract between them.

However, Mrs. Adegoroye was not convinced of the evidence-in-chief of the ex-VC. She found him guilty and sentenced him to a cumulative eight years in prison with an option of a fine of Six Hundred Thousand Naira (N600,000.00) only.

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Our correspondent reports that Professor Oloyede was not incarcerated as he opted for the fine option.

Meanwhile, dissatisfied with the decision of the court and determined to set aside the judgment, Professor Oloyede, through his counsel, Oke Olusola Esq. of Chief G. O. Ijalana Esq and Olusola Oke & Co of Graceville Law House, filed seven grounds of appeal.

Among others, Professor Oloyede insists Mrs. Adegoroye erred in law when she assumed jurisdiction to try the case notwithstanding that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case; that she reached a perverse decision when she relied on Exhibit p.28 to convict him; and that she further erred when she relied on substantive charge in count 3, 4, 5 and 6 which are on obtaining money under pretence to convict and sentence him on court 1, even though he was not charged with the offence of stealing.

Other grounds of appeal cited by Professor Oloyede are miscarriage of justice occasioned by the finding of the court that the purpose of the money was for the payment of building materials which creates a big doubt in the case of the prosecution. Professor Oloyede, on a final note, insists that the entire decision of the magistrate court is unreasonable, unwarranted and cannot be supported having regard to the weight of evidence.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the application.

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted an interim order restraining Mr. Roger Brown from parading himself as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Seplat Energy Plc.

Justice Chukwuejekwu Aneke ruled that the order stands pending the determination of a suit instituted against the company chief and others by aggrieved stakeholders of the company.

The applicants, in the motion ex parts filed before the court, alleged racism, favouring expatriate workers, discrimination against Nigerians, and breach of good governance.

The court also restrained the firm’s Chairman, Board of Directors, Mr. Basil Omiyi, and all the Non-Executive Directors under him from “continuing to run the affairs of Seplat in an illegal, unfair, prejudicial, and oppressive manner pending the hearing and determination of the Petitioner’s Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction”.

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Justice Aneke made the order while ruling on a motion ex parte brought by some aggrieved Seplat Energy Plcs stakeholders.

The applicants/petitioners in the suit are: Moses Igbrude, Sarat Kudaisi, Kenneth Nnabike, Ajani Abidoye, and Robert Ibekwe.

Seplat Energy PLC, Mr. Roger Thompson Brown, and Mr. Basil Omiyi, were listed as respondents in the suit.

Also, following a separate ex parte application, Justice Aneke granted the petitioners/applicants leave to serve the petition, any order of court and all other processes to be issued subsequently in the matter on Brown and Omiyi by pasting on the premises of Seplat Energy located at Ikoyi, Lagos.

The court adjourned till March 23 for hearing of the pending application.

Justice Mohammed Jibril of the Upper Area Court of Nasarawa State sitting in Maraba, Gurku, has ordered the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force CID, Area 10, Garki and two bank Managing Directors to appear before it or face committal proceedings.

The affected bank is Standard Chartered Bank Plc and Access Bank Plc.

The order was sequel to an alleged order obtained by the Police from the Magistrate Court in the state to authorise the frozen of an account of a customer in the two banks in Lagos State.

Justice Jibril ordered the defendants to appear before the court over an order sought to be vacated and to explain who executed the order.

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The court had earlier granted an order to the Police in two different suits delineated UAC/KAR/ 20/2023 and UAC/KAR/21/2023 it filed against the Access Bank Plc and Osareme Vera Archibong in first and second respondents respectively.

While in the second suit, the police had gotten an order or the court against the bank and the Manager Standard Chartered Bank Plc and
Osareme Vera Archibong as respondents/ applicant in the suit.

However, following an order obtained by the Police, the second respondent/applicant (Archibong) in the suits through her counsel, Mr. Emeka Ozoani (SAN) approached the court to vacate the order.

After his arguments and submission before the court, the judge ordered the applicant ( the DIGP) to appear before the court, noted that he found it difficult to be set aside.

In his ruling, the court said he has listened to the learned silk, Emeka Ozoani, (SAN) and Grace Agbal, for the 2nd respondent/applicant, and have the cause to peruse through the Criminal and Civil Complaint books and the record of this Court but found it extremely difficult to lay hus hands on this order that sought to be set aside.

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“I shall order the applicant/ respondent in the order sought to be vacated who is the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force CID, Area 10, Garki Abuja, the first respondent; Standard Chartered Bank Plc and the Manager, Standard Chartered Bank Plc who executed the order to produce before me the order sought to be vacated and I so hold”.

The court further directed that he will issue a bench warrant for the arrest of the DIGP, Force CID, Area 10, Garki Abuja to compel his appearance.

“I shall in furtherance to this issue bench warrant for the arrest of the Manager, Standard Chartered Bank Plc to compel his appearance before me and I so hold.”

The judge subsequently adjourned the hearing of the case to March 14, 2023.