Justice Kudirat Jose remanded the employees – Victor Akintunde and Gani Mustapha – in custody after they appeared before the court.
Akintunde, 41, and Mustapha, 46, are former President and Secretary of the MTN Employees Multi-purpose Cooperative Society (MEMCOS) respectively.
They were charged to court alongside a property developer, Mutairu Babatunde and two other companies -Primavera Engineering and Construction Limited and Mabo Dredging Limited. The defendants are facing a 17-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing, issuance of dud cheque and forgery.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the arraignment of the defendants was, however, stalled due to Babatunde’s absence. Following the development, the judge directed the defence counsel, Mr. George Oguntade (SAN), to ensure Babatunde’s presence in court at the next adjournment date. She adjourned the matter till February 27 for arraignment of the defendants.
The EFCC counsel, Mr. Emmanuel Jackson, alleged that the defendants conspired to commit the offences between April and September 2009 in Lagos. Jackson said the defendants fraudulently obtained the money as sundry payments, to facilitate the purchase of 13 hectares of land at Okun Ajah Community in Lagos, on behalf of MEMCOS members.
According to him, the defendants forged the signature of one Chief Atiku Adigun on a deed of assignment, to facilitate the fraud. He said that they also issued a First Bank cheque in the sum of N427 million in favour of MEMCOS, on April 25, 2009.
The prosecutor said the cheque was dishonoured when it was presented, due to insufficient funds in the account of Mabo Dredging Limited. Jackson said the offences contravened Sections 390(9), 467 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003. He said they also contravened Section 1(1) (a) of the Dishonoured Cheque (Offences) Act, Cap D11, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
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