Member representing Edu /Moro/Patigi Federal Constituency of Kwara State in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Aliyu Ahman Pategi is to be remanded in prison custody for not providing a former Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Ms. Jumoke Akinjide,? who he stood surety for.
A Lagos Magistrate’s Court sitting in Igbosere, on Saturday, ordered the remand of the lawmaker who stood surety and entered a bail bond of N650million for the Ibadan-born politician who was detained on 9th August 2016 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged involvement in conspiracy and money laundering.
Akinjide, the counsel to EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo told the court, has refused to report to commision, since she was released from detention on bail on 10 August 2016. He said he has repeatedly demanded her from Pategi.
According to Saharareporters, Oyedepo asked the court for an order directing Pategi to show reason why the recognizance he entered into for Akinjide and the bail bond of N650million should not be forfeited.
Counsel to Pategi, Mr. Adenrele Adegborioye, informed the court that he had filed a motion for bail. Oyedepo, however, said he had just been served with the said motion for bail in the open court and would need time to adequately respond to it. As a result, Adegborioye made an oral application for bail, but the court said it preferred a formal bail application.
After listening to both parties, Magistrate Afolashade Botoku, rejected the oral application for Pategi’s bail, which his counsel sought, citing his client’s personality as a current Federal House of Representatives member. Oyedepo opposed the oral application, saying Pategi stood surety for Akinjide and entered a bail bond of N650million being the sum of money she collected from key former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deizani Alison-Madueke in March 2015.
The said sum was alleged to be gratification received by Alison-Madueke from various oil marketers such as Northern Belt Oil and Gas company, Actus Integrated Investment Limited, Midwestern Oil and Gas company Limited and Adesanya Leno Olaitab. The money was said to have been kept in Fidelity Bank.
In a 16-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Mr. Danladi Daniel, the EFCC said: “An intelligence report was received sometimes in 2016 that Oloye Jumoke Akinjide and others benefitted from the total sum of N650million gratification received by Mrs. Alison-Madueke from various oil marketers such as Northern Belt Oil and Gas Company, Actus Integrated Investment Limited, Midwestern Oil and Gas Company Limited and Adesanya Leno Olaitan, which money was kept with Fidelity Bank.”
Danladi stated further that upon discovery of her involvement in the alleged crime, Akinjide was invited to the EFCC office in Lagos on 9 August 2016 and wrote a statement after which Pategi entered a bail bond of N650million to be forfeited should Akinjide jump administrative bail.
The EFCC counsel said a 24-count charge bordering on money laundering and conspiracy was brought against her before Justice Ayo Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, in Suit No. FHC/IB/26C/2017. However, Akinjide refused to turn up in court after more than three proceedings despite the service of the charges on her, a situation that prompted the court to threaten to dismiss the charges if the prosecution fails to produce her at the next adjourned date.
Magistrate Botoku adjourned the case to 20 June for the hearing of the bail application.
