Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes

Commission (EFCC), yesterday, re-arraigned four suspects before Justice I.O. Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on an amended 11-count charge, bordering on purchase of forged bank notes and possession of forged United States Dollar Traveller’s Cheque.

Spokesperson for the anti-graft agency, Wilson Uwujaren, who disclosed this in a statement, gave names of the suspects as Mark Obisean, Olumide Mcintouch, Bolaji Bakare and Goodluck Bazunu

One of the counts reads: “That You Mark Obisean, Olumide Mcintouch, Bolaji Bakare, Goodluck Bazunu, and Josiah Ntekume (at large), sometime in 2018 at Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, received and have in your possession forged United States Dollar Traveller’s Cheque number GA908-981-564.”

Another count reads: That you Mark Obisean, Olumide Mcintouch, Bolaji Bakare, Goodluck Bazunu, and Josiah Ntekume (at large), sometime in 2018 at Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, conspired to purchase, received, and have in your possession forged United States travellers cheques.”

All the suspects pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.

In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, N.K. Ukoha, prayed the court for a trial date to enable the prosecution call its witnesses and tender relevant documents to prove the case against them.

Counsel to the first defendant, Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), however, informed the court of the bail application filed on behalf of his client, arguing that his client “does not constitute a flight-risk.”

Counsel to the other defendants, however, had no formal bail applications before the court for the court to hear and rule on.

Ruling on the bail application, Justice Ijelu granted bail to the first defendant in the sum of N20 million, with two sureties in like sum.

The court further held that the other defendants had no formal applications before it.

Subsequently, the judge returned them to the Correctional Facility and adjourned to April 3, 4 and 5, 2023 for trial.

The defendants were earlier arraigned before Justice Sherifat Solebo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, in February 2022.

However, the trial could not be concluded before the retirement of Justice Solebo in November 2022.

Consequently, the case was re-

assigned to Justice Ijelu.