A couple, Olorunbukunmi Taiwo and Awolegan Omolola Omotola, have been brought before the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegations of fraud linked to a contract transaction valued at N1.09bn.
The defendants appeared before Justice Abubakar Usman following their arraignment by the EFCC’s Ilorin Zonal Directorate on a six-count charge involving alleged obtaining of money under false pretences and retention of proceeds believed to be derived from unlawful activities.
Details of the case were disclosed by the anti-graft agency in a post on its X account on Monday. According to the charge sheet, the matter originated from a petition filed by a widow, Anazia Kenechukwu, after a road construction business arrangement reportedly collapsed.
The petitioner alleged that funds were invested in a contract project presented as a legitimate opportunity. According to the petition, “the first defendant approached the complainant to finance a road construction contract purportedly awarded to him by the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission.”
The EFCC further stated that investigators uncovered evidence showing that “a total sum of N1,980,000,000.00 was paid into the first defendant’s account domiciled with Access Bank Plc,” under the purported agreement.
Prosecutors told the court that the money was allegedly channelled into the acquisition of assets in Ado-Ekiti rather than being used for the contract. Among the properties identified were a lounge and a four-bedroom bungalow.
The commission also informed the court that it had already obtained an interim forfeiture order covering the assets, which it believes were purchased with proceeds from the alleged offence.
Both defendants denied all the charges when they were read in court and entered not guilty pleas.
Following the arraignment, Justice Usman adjourned proceedings to a later date for further hearing of the case.
