The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a businessman, Muhammad Lamido, before the Lagos Special Offences Court in Ikeja for alleged N105 million fraud.
The defendant is facing four counts alongside his company, Aliqea Group UAE, bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence and money laundering preferred against him by the EFCC.
According to the prosecution counsel, R. A. Abdulrasheed, the defendants plotted to defraud First Right Enterprises of N105 million on July 19, 2023
The prosecutor alleged that the defendant falsely claimed to have the dollar equivalent of the amount to change for the business organisation, First Right Enterprises.
The anti-graft agency also charged the defendant and his company with money laundering and attempting to conceal N130,200,000 and N173 million, respectively.
The defendant, on the other hand, pleaded not guilty to the counts levelled against him.
Following the defendant’s plea, his counsel, Emmanuel Ogbeche, pleaded with the court not to keep Lamido in EFCC custody.
Abdulrasheed asked the court to deny the bail application.
He said, “The defendant may not appear in court again regardless of the subject of the health of the defendant as stated by the prosecution.”
Meanwhile, four people were killed in separate accidents that occurred in different sections of Lagos State on Monday.
The Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos State Sector Commander, Babatunde Farinloye, confirmed one of the incidents, saying a military man, his wife, and a motorcycle rider died instantly at the Dantata bus stop on the Badagry expressway.
He said, “The accident happened at the Dantata bus stop involving a military man, his wife and the bike rider who died on the spot. According to an eyewitness, the bike man was trying to ram into a private truck that was trying to run away from area boys who wanted to collect money. The body of the military man was deposited at the Ojo Cantonment Medical Rescue Centre while the bike man was taken to Badagry General Hospital Mortuary. We want to enjoin motorists to be careful when driving to avoid accidents on the road.”
In an interview with newsmen, the LASTMA Public Relations Officer, Adebayo Taofiq, confirmed the accident, adding that one of the accidents occurred at about 9:00 a.m., involving a Toyota Verso car colliding with a tricycle inward Abule-Egba area of the state.
Taofiq said, “The first accident happened at General Inwards Abule-Egba at about 9:15 am. There was a collision between a tricycle with registration number AGL-QK and a Toyota Verso with registration number AKD-893HD. Immediately after the accident happened, the tricycle man died instantly and was rushed to the nearby hospital. Immediately, the two vehicles were cleared off the road to avoid gridlock.”