11th April, 2012
A former Commissioner for Finance in Osun, Mr. Moses Ojo, was on Tuesday granted bail by an Osogbo Senior Magistrate’s Court.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the court on March 1 remanded the 53-year-old former commissioner as well as one Olaleye Olanipekun and Jegede Isaac over an alleged N60 million fraud.
The police prosecutor, Elisha Olusegun, had alleged that Ojo conspired with the other two accused persons to defraud the state of N60 million while serving as a commissioner in the Olagunsoye Oyinlola administration.
The offence, the prosecutor said, was punishable under sections 1 (1) and (3) of the advance fee fraud and other related offences.
The court had directed the defence counsel, Mr. Tewo Lamuye, to file a written application for the bail of his clients when they pleaded not guilty to the alleged offence
But ruling on the bail applications, Senior Magistrate Olusola Aluko said he decided to grant the bail having carefully considered the submission and argument of the applicants and the respondent.
Aluko granted each accused person bail in the sum of N10 million and two sureties in like sum, adding that one of the sureties must be a property owner within the state capital and should have Certificate of Occupancy
“The ‘C of O‘ must be deposited with the court while the other surety must be a civil servant in the service of the state government on not less than Grade Level 16 and the service must be confirmed by the Head of Service,” he ruled.
The court added that each accused person must undertake to always show up before the Chief Registrar of the State High Court when needed as well as deposit his international passport with the court.
He further ruled that each of the sureties must depose to an affidavit of means as well as attach two passport photographs and current tax clearance certificate to the application for surety-ship.
Aluko warned that breach of any of the conditions would automatically revoke the bail of the accused persons.
Lamuye and a Principal State Counsel, Mr. Olufemi Adedokun, who represented the state government, commended the magistrate for the ruling.
The case was adjourned till April 25 for hearing.