A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday ordered the remand of a 53-year-old engineer, Adeleke Adebesin, at the Nigerian Correctional Centre over alleged N40m fraud.

Justice Akintayo Aluko made the remand order following the arraignment of Adebesin and his company, Kings Intercontinental Homes and Properties Nigeria Limited, alongside one James Oladimeji Ogunsango, who is at large.

Adebesin is facing three counts bordering on obtaining and issuance of dud cheques, preferred against him by the Police Special Fraud Unit.

During the arraignment, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Sylvester Azubike, told the court that sometime in 2019, the defendant allegedly induced a Lagos businessman Taiye Fajana, the chairman of Twins Faja Nigeria Ltd, to deliver to him the sum of N40m.

Azubike said the defendant, his company and Ogunsango who is said to be at large, issued Stanbic IBTC bank cheques with cheque number 20218203 and account number 00234349 dated October 30, 2019, in the sum of N20m, drawn in favour of Twins Faja Nig Ltd, as part payment of a retuned of the N40m which he obtained through his company’s account from Twins Faja Nigeria Limited.

He told the court that when the cheque was presented at the bank, it was rejected for lack of sufficient funds.

According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened Sections 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-related Offence Act, No. 14 of 2006 and were punishable under Section 1(3) of the said Act. And Section 1(a)(i) of the Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act, 2004.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge against him.

But the defendant’s lawyer, E. N. Offiah, told the court that he had just been briefed on the matter and that he needed a short date to file his client’s bail application.

Consequently, Justice Aluko remanded the defendant in custody and adjourned the case till March 11, pending the hearing and determination of the bail application.

Noted