Drug Supplier Docked Over Alleged N35m LPO Fraud, 

Drug Supplier Docked Over Alleged N35m LPO Fraud

A medical drugs supplier, Makinde Olufemi Abiodun, has been arraigned before a Lagos Federal High Court, over alleged N35 million Local Purchase Order (LPO) fraud.

Makinde was also charged for issuance of dud cheques.

The defendant was arraigned before Justice Nicholas Oweibo led-court on the two counts charge by the men of Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi, Lagos.

Police prosecutor, Mr. Chukwu Agwu, while arraigning the defendant on Monday, told the court that the defendant whose company name bears Med Hub Pharmaceutical Stores, had sometimes in February 2021, with an intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N35 million, through his Sterling Bank’s account number 0080512999, from the dou of AYODELE Adeoye Adetola and Adeniran Adesoji Olawale, with the pretence that he wanted to used the money to finance LPO to supply drugs to Ogun State University Teaching Hospital (OSUTH).

He was alleged to have promised the fraud victims of Return on Investment (RoI) which he refused and failed to fulfilled.

The prosecutor also told the court that when the defendant was unable to pay back the money as promised, he issued several bank cheques to the fraud victims, in a bid to reimburse them, but were rejected and returned due to insufficient funds in his account.

The prosecutor told the court that the offences committed by the defendant, contravened Sections 1(1)(a), (b) and (c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 No.14 of 2006 but punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act. Nigeria 2004. And section 1(1)(a) of Dishonoured Cheques Offences Act, Cap. D11, Laws of the Federation of Niger 2004.

The defendant however pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following to his plea, his counsel to the court that his client’s bail application has been filed and same has been served on the prosecutor

He pleaded with the court to admit his client to bail in the most liberal terms, as the charges against him is a bailable one.

However, in opposing the application, the prosecutor told the court that he had filed a counter to the application and urged the court to declined granting the bail application.

Specifically, the prosecutor told the court that, the defendant since after his administrative bail in our office surreptitiously packed out of his known residence at 6, Adebanke Ajayi Street, Soluyi-Gbagada, Lagos, to an unknown location.

He also told the court that the defendant had exhibited questionable characters since the case beginning of the case and that there is likelihood of jumping bail and, interfere with witnesses to truncate the case. 

He also told the court that the defendant is a flight risk. Adding that his disappearance from our office since he was granted administrative bail to avoid being arraigned clearly shows that he will jump bail if granted to him. 

However, Justice Oweibo after listened to the submissions of parties, admitted bail to the defendant in the sum of N30 million with two sureties.

The judge also ordered that the sureties must be a landed property owners within the Court’s jurisdisction. Adding that the defendant must surrender his traveling passport with the court.

Justice Oweibo while adjourned the matter till October 27, ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) till the perfection of the bail terms.