The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned the Chief Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo State, Dr Olufemi Omotosho and his counsel, Ayodele Owoka, before Justice Lateef Lawal Akapo of the Lagos High Court, sitting in Ikeja on a 5-count charge bordering on conspiracy to offer gratification to a public officer, destroying of evidence and giving of false information.
Owoka was arrested on Thursday, February 27, 2014 at the EFCC’s office in Ikoyi, Lagos, where he had reportedly gone to bribe a team of operatives investigating a case of contract inflation, abuse of office, stealing, embezzlement and misappropriation of funds at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo State.
The lawyer confessed after his arrest that he offered the operatives, N1.2 million which was allegedly given to him by Dr. Omotosho, to bribe the team to soft pedal on their investigations.
Owoka said he was offered a total sum of N1.5 million but withheld N300,000 for his personal use.
When the charges were read to the two accused persons, they pleaded not guilty.
In view of the plea of the defendants, prosecution counsel, Oyedepo Rotimi asked for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the accused persons in prison custody, but counsel to the 1st and 2nd defendants, E.C Eshieawene and O. Wahab were opposed to the move to remand the defendants in prison custody.
They prayed the court to use discretion and remand them at the EFCC custody.
Justice Akapo, having considered the plea of counsels to the defendants, ordered that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody and the matter was adjourned to March 12, 2015 for argument on bail application.
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