6th October, 2016
A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos on Thursday adjourned the trial of All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial leader for Ondo South, Dr. Taiwo Malumi, till November 3 and 4.
Dr. Malumi was on August 10 arraigned before the court by the Police Special Fraud Unit (SFU) on alleged fraud of N40 million.
Malumi, a medical doctor, who is also the Managing Director of Funtai Limited, in a one count criminal charge number FHC/L/302C/16, was alleged to have fraudulently obtained N40 million from one Nick Shaiyen, the Managing Director of a limited liability company Whitehall Management Limited, under false pretence that he wanted to sell to him a property known as Unit B9, situated at Funtai Court, 3, Ruxton Street, Ikoyi, Lagos, which he claimed to be free from all encumbrances.
The offence, according to the prosecutor, Mr. Ekong Sunday, contravened section 1(1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud related Offences Act, 2016.
The APC chieftain pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail by the court
At the resumed hearing of the matter today the prosecutor, Mr. Effiong Asuquo, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), who took over the matter from the initial prosecutor, told the court that parties, (the accused and the complainant) were trying to settle the matter out of court but stated that the the complainant did not agree with the date which the accused said he would pay for the amount involved in the matter.
However, counsel to the accused person, Mr. A. Salami, told the court that he was not the person that initiated the settlement process. He however stated that he was aware that the parties involved made the moves to settle out of court. He added that the APC Senatorial leader had paid back N13 million to the complainant, and that he was ready to abide by the terms of settlement.
He therefore, urged the court to adjourn the matter for a month to enable his client pay substantial amount to the complainant.
The presiding judge, AbdulAziz Anka, adjourned the matter till November 3 and 4 for trial of the accused.
