Justice Patricia Ajoku of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State has ordered the remand of a fake native doctor, Fatai Olalere Alli, a.k.a. Baba Abore, Baba Osun, and two others, Adigun Fatai Olusegun and Olufemi Kolawole, in prison custody pending the filing, hearing and determination of their bail applications.
The accused persons were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office, on Tuesday over criminal charges bordering on conspiracy, money laundering and obtaining money by false pretense.
The court had earlier granted the Commission’s prayer for an order of interim forfeiture of properties traced to Alli as well as freezing of accounts he allegedly used to receive proceeds of crime.
According to the count-one of the charges, Olusegun and Kolawole conspired with Alli to obtain money under false pretenses from one Attiogbe Daniel Babatunde.
Before their arrest, the Commission had received several intelligence reports linking Alli to series of fraud allegations involving large sums of money.
Details on the intelligence alleged that he engages in money doubling through which he swindled and collected money from his victims with the promise of using his ‘spiritual powers’ to multiply the sums for them, but would instead divert same to his personal use.
He was arrested on July 9, 2019 and his confessions later led to the arrest of his conspirators.
The Commission thereafter filed an application seeking an interim forfeiture order of the properties and accounts of the suspects.
Justice Ajoku granted the application of the EFCC and ordered that the properties of the suspects be temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
She also ordered the freezing of their bank accounts pending the conclusion of the investigation, prosecution and final determination of the cases against them.
The properties include five buildings, three cars and hectares of farm land.
Today, the accused persons were called upon to take their plea.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
Alli pleaded not guilty to 22-count charges, Olusegun pleaded not guilty to 32-count charges, while Kolawole pleaded not guilty to his one-count charge of conspiracy.
Due to the not-guilty plea, prosecution counsel, Oluwatinuwe Daramola, prayed the court for a trial date and an order to remand the accused persons in prison custody.
However, counsels to the accused persons prayed the court for a short date to hear the applications of their respective clients.
Bala Yakubu represented Alli, Babatunde Ajibola stood in for Olusegun, while Oluwole Adeosun advocated for Kolawole.
The presiding judge, however, refused their prayers stating that their applications were not yet before the court.
She said the court registrar would communicate the date for bail argument to the parties once the applications are properly brought before the court.
Justice Ajoku then ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody as she adjourned the matter to November 22, 2019 for trial.
Sunday Ogunyemi
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