A 77-year-old business woman, Mulikat Shonekan, alongside two others have been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before a Lagos State High Court, in Ikeja, for allegedly swindling a company of N65 million.
The accused persons were brought before the court on a five-count charge of conspiracy to obtain money under false pretense and issuance of dud cheque.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
Shonekan alongside Martins Ogiogwa and Mujekanm Petroleum Nigeria Company Limited, who were arraigned before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye, allegedly fraudulently collected N65 million from Kuta Stones Limited on September 2008 under the pretext of purchasing 90 acres of land at Kemta Osun Village in Odeda local government area of Ogun State for the company.
It was alleged that the defendants received the money from one of the directors of Kuta Stones Limited, Danladi Verheijen, but failed to deliver the property to the company three years after.
Shonekan was also accused of issuing N5 million dud cheque through her company as part of the repayment for the N65 million she got from the company.
The EFCC said the offence is punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State and Sections 1(1) of the Dishonored Cheque Offences Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Counsel to first and third accused persons, Bamidele Ogundele, presented an application for bail for his clients on the grounds of old age and heath condition; emphasizing that the septuagenarian would not jump bail.
Also, second defendant, Austine Akpomreta, presented his bail application, and asked the court to grant his request.
The prosecuting counsel, Anslem Ozioko, while opposing the bail applications, asked for a trial date.
Justice Ipaye however granted bail to 1st and 2nd defendants in the sum of N5m and N10m respectively, with two sureties each in like sum.
The judge said, one of the sureties for both must be a relative of the accused persons who must show proof of 3three years tax payment.
The matter was adjourned to February 3 for trial.