Fuji musician docked for alleged N21.2m fraud
By Adenike Ayodele
A Fuji musician called identified as Felix Osagie has been remanded in prison after he was arraigned before an Ikeja Special Offences Court for allegedly obtaining the sum of N21.2 million by false pretenses.
Osagie was arraigned a four-count charge bordering on stealing, obtaining by false presence, retention of proceeds of crime and false information by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor, Mr Lamido Ochuko told the court that Osagie committed the offences in Lagos sometime in 2020 and April 2, 2026.
The prosecution alleged that the defendant fraudulently converted to his personal use, the sum of N21.2 million belonging to one Mr Joseph Oguche.
After the defendant had pleaded to the charge, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date and to order a remand of the defendant pending trial.
Meanwhile, defence counsel, Mr Sunday Afolabi, informed the court that the defence had filed a bail application dated Nov. 4 and filed on Nov. 5.
Afolabi said the application was supported by an 18-paragraph affidavit deposed to by the defendant’s wife.
He told the court that the defendant was diabetic and could no longer walk due to his health condition.
Defence counsel added that the defendant’s health had worsened while in EFCC custody and that he had been in and out of the hospital since his release.
In response, the prosecutor argued that he filed a counter-affidavit dated Nov.10 opposing bail.
He referred the court to paragraph six of the affidavit in which he alleged that the defendant had been jumping bail since July.
The prosecutor also informed the court that the prosecution intended to present four witnesses in the trial of the defendant.
After listening to counsel, Justice Ismail Ijelu granted the defendant bail in the sum of N10 million with two sureties in like sum.
Ijelu ordered that the sureties must be blood relatives of the defendant who must have paid taxes to the Lagos State Government within the last three years.
He also ordered that the sureties must provide evidence of verifiable source of income.
The court further ordered the defendant to surrender his international passport to the Registrar of the court and barred him from travelling outside Nigeria.
He ordered a remand of the defendant in a correctional centre pending perfection of his bail conditions.
The court adjourned the case until Dec. 16, for trial.
(NAN)