EFCC Arraigns Adegboruwa Over Illegal Property Dealing
Ebun-Olu-AdegboruwaThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday arraigned a prominent Lagos-based lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, before a Federal High Court in Lagos for illegally dealing in a landed property.
The property is said to be under an interim forfeiture order by Justice Christopher Balogun of the Lagos State High Court.
Mr Adegboruwa pleaded not guilty to the one count charge and his lawyer, Emeka Etiaba (SAN), asked the court to grant him bail on self recognizance.
The lawyer assured presiding justice, Oluremi Oguntoyinbo, that his client would neither jump bail nor interfere with the prosecution’s witnesses.
In proof of the application, Mr Etiaba also told the court that Mr Adegboruwa is a parish pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church, Lekki branch who also fights for the downtrodden.
In his ruling on the application, Justice Oguntoyinbo admitted that he was reluctant to grant Mr Adegboruwa bail on self-recognizance.
Instead, the judge granted him bail in the sum of N10m with two sureties in like sum.
The judge said the sureties must have landed properties in Lagos with bank accounts, office and residential addresses which must be verified by the court’s registrar.
Before the bail conditions are perfected, Justice Oguntoyinbo ordered that Mr Adegboruwa be remanded in the custody of the EFCC.
She then adjourned till the 13th of June for commencement of trial.
Adegboruwa was arraigned on a one count charge alongside one Jonathan Udeagbala.
In the charge marked, FHC/L/181c/2016, presented before the court by its prosecutor, Idris Abdullahi, the EFCC claimed that Adegboruwa and Udeagbala dealt in a property “lying, being and situate at House 105, Nicon Estate, Lekki, Lagos,” without the authorisation of the EFCC.
According to the anti-graft agency, the said property was a subject of litigation before Justice Christopher Balogun of the Lagos State High Court.
The EFCC claimed that on August 13, 2013, Adegboruwa and Udeagbala dealt with the property, in defiance of the order.
The defendants were accused of leasing the property to one Shelf Drilling Nigeria Limited in the sum of N61.6 million, which the EFCC claimed was credited into Adegboruwa’s account with Zenith Bank.
The prosecutor claimed that Adegboruwa and Udeagbala committed an offence punishable under Section 32(1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004.
