Kwara Court Remands 3 Indians, 1 Nigerian Over Criminal Breach Of Trust

Justice Sulaiman Akanbi of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has remanded three Indian nationals, Lalit Sarwat, Ravi Raghavendra and Gagan Sarswat—alongside an Ilorin-based dispatch manager, Oniyide Samuel, in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) over alleged criminal breach of trust.

The defendants were arraigned on Wednesday by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and criminal breach of trust, contrary to and punishable under Sections 97 and 314 of the Penal Code.

The EFCC alleged that the defendants, while being servants in the employment of KAM Steel Integrated Company Limited, conspired among themselves between November 2024 and September 2025 to commit criminal breach of trust.

Count one of the charge read: “That you, Lalit Sarwat, Kumar Saroj (at large), Oniyide Samuel (trading under the name and style of Incognito Steel), Ravi Raghavendra and Gagan Sarswat, between November 2024 and September 2025, whilst being servants in the employment of KAM Steel Integrated Company Limited, agreed among yourselves to do an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.”

Particulars of count two state: “That you, Lalit Sarwat, Kumar Saroj (at large), Oniyide Samuel (trading under the name and style of Incognito Steel), Ravi Raghavendra and Gagan Sarswat, between November 2024 and September 2025, whilst being servants in the employment of KAM Steel Integrated Company Limited and in that capacity entrusted with the company’s property, to wit: steel rebars, committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said properties and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 314 of the Penal Code.”

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.

Following their pleas, Cosmas Ugwu, who appeared for the EFCC, applied for the remand of the defendants in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending trial.

Counsels to the defendants, Ademuyiwa Abe, S. J. Ochai and D. M. Ayuba, however, filed applications for bail on behalf of their clients, arguing that the offences charged were bailable.

Opposing the bail applications, Ugwu urged the court to refuse the applications on the grounds that three of the defendants are foreign nationals and pose a flight risk. He further urged the court to grant an accelerated hearing of the matter.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Akanbi adjourned the matter to Friday, December 19, 2025, for ruling on the bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Ilorin.