Police Arraign Accountant For Alleged Fraud, Perjury

The police in Lagos have arraigned a 50-year-old accountant, Rasak Adeniji, before a Lagos State Magistrate’s Court in Yaba for alleged conspiracy, fraud, perjury, falsification, misrepresentation of fact, stealing and unlawful eviction.

Adeniji was docked before Magistrate Ayo Olatunbosun on seven-count  charges of the offences by the men of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID).

The police prosecutor, Morufu Animashaun informed the court that the defendant, who was the accountant at Damtina Stores Limited, did conspire with others at large to commit the offence between September to December 2018 in Lagos.

Animashaun also claimed that the defendant with others at large conspired among themselves to commit a felony to defraud Damtina Stores Limited of its property, wrote two letters to Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) on September 28, 2021, with the letterhead of Damtina Stores Limited without authorisation of the company.

The prosecutor also told the court that the defendant lied on oath before the Magisterial District Court in Epe which he used in evicting one Jonathan Agwu from 18, Abibu Oki Street, Lagos Island.

He said, “The defendant internationally misrepresented facts to his honour, Magistrate H.O. Amos, sitting at Court 3, Epe, Magisterial District, falsely testified that one Jonathan Agwu was not a subsisting tenant of 18, Abibu Oki Street, Lagos Island, which led to his unlawful eviction.”

He also told the court that, “sometime between September and December 2018, the defendant collected the sum of N250,000 from Paulijyk Interbiz Limited to fast-track the lease and falsified the documents of Damtina Stores Limited to favour Paulijyk Interbiz Limited and also stole N10 million from his employers.

Animashaun insisted that the offences are contrary to and punishable under Section 325(1),  370(a)(b) and 412 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State Nigeria, 2015.

He also maintained that the offences contravened Sections 287(8), 96(a) and section 83(b) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State Nigeria, 2015 and are punishable under the same Laws.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following his plea, Animashaun prayed the court to remand the defendant at the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCOS) facility, pending the determination of the charge, while he also asked for an accelerated hearing of the case.

However, the defence counsel, Ola Olusumade, urged the court to grant his client bail.

Magistrate Olatunbosun admitted him to bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum.

The magistrate also ordered that one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the defendant and the second surety must be a land owner within the jurisdiction of the court.

He adjourned the case to February 27, 2023, for trial.