. By Olamide George
The six Tax Fraudsters arrested by the State Security Services in Ekiti State were on Wednesday arraigned at the Magistrate Court, Ado Ekiti, the State Capital.
Arraigning the suspects at the Magistrate Court 1, on a six count-charge bordering on fraud and illegal possession of tax clearance documents among others, with charge number MAD/1193C/2023, signed by the Legal Officer of the State Security Service in Ekiti State, Mr Olaolu Olayinka, the names of the six offenders are Olarewaju Adesoye, Mayowa Nelson Ajisafe, Matthew Ilesanmi Olarewaju, Olorunfemi Osho, Joseph Sunday Balogun and Ajayi Temidayo.
Reading the charges, the defendants, all pleaded not guilty.
In the first count, the court official read that, one Olarewaju Adesoye defrauded one Olamide Damilola, Ayeni Racheal Funmilayo, Fakunle Olasunkanmi Olatunbosun, Ogidi Kayode Emmanuel and others yet to be identified, a punishable offence under section 329 of the criminal law of Ekiti State, 2021.
The second count charge read that, “the six offenders did possess fake tax clearance certificates of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service, an offence punishable under section 335 of the criminal law of Ekiti State, also for 2021.
“That the same six offenders, forged the signature of one Olaniran Olatona, the Executive Chairman of Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service which is punishable under section 372 of the criminal law of Ekiti State, for 2021.
“That the six offenders, did fraudulently used a counterfeit seal of Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service, an offence punishable under section 372 of the criminal law of Ekiti State, 2021.
“That the six offenders, did falsely paraded themselves as staff of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service with intent to defraud and did defraud Olumide Damilola, Ayeni Racheal Funmilayo, Fakunle Olasunkanmi Olatunbosun and Ogidi Kayode Emmanuel in a sum of N1,795,000, an offence punishable under section 391 of the criminal law of Ekiti State, 2021.
Speaking with journalists, Barrister Timi Omotoso explained that six defendants were all arraigned on all felicious offences., which the court has jurisdiction to hear, adjudicate and also grant bail.
“As it is now, they have been arraigned on six count-charge and the court has granted bail to the six defendants.
The conditions are that, each defendant should produce the surety that has a reasonable source of income and that they must produce documents and the bond is sum of N500,000, which means if they eventually abscond, that surety will be held responsible.
The case has been adjourned till Friday 26th of January, 2024
