The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Monday arraigned one Johnson Babatola before Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ado- Ekiti, Ekiti State, on a 7-count charge bordering on Advance fee fraud and operation of illegal Polytechnic. He however pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
Babatola, a former Principal Manager of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Ado-Ekiti branch was arrested following a petition from the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, Kaduna, alleging that he was operating an illegal Polytechnic named Teedek Polytechnic at Ilogbo, Ekiti State and extorting gullible students who are not aware of the status of the institution
One of the counts reads, “that you John Babatola sometime between the month of August, 2013 and March 2015 at Ilogbo Ekiti within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N118,000.00 (One Hundred and Eighteen Thousand Naira) from Adakeja Thomas Olusola, when you falsely represented that the money represented tuition fees towards the award of National Diploma Certificate by Teedek Polytechnic and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006”.
In view of his plea, the defence counsel, Clatus Nachata made an oral application for bail to the court which the prosecution counsel, Sanusi Musa Galadanchi opposed and asked for a trial date.
Justice Taiwo after listening to the argument of both counsel, granted the accused bail in the sum of Two Million Naira with two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must be the traditional ruler of Ilogbo-Ekiti, while the second surety must be one of the sureties during the administrative bail earlier granted him by the EFCC. Both sureties shall depose to an affidavit of means. The accused person shall deposit his international passport with the court.
The judge ordered that the accused person be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of his bail conditions. The case is adjourned till 18, 24 and 27 October, 2016 for trial.
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