Justice Mojisola Dada has remanded a man, Anthony Okpala, in the correctional facility of his choice pending the hearing of the $177,000 fraud brought against him.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned Okpala alongside his company, Mashuchun International Limited, on a two-count charge before the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja.
The anti-graft agency claimed that Okpala sometime in August 2014 converted to his own use the sum of $177,000 belonging to Ibrahim Tsafe and Ibrahim Zango.
EFCC prosecutor, A.B.C. Ozioko, said the offences contravened sections 278 (1) and 285 (1) and 9(b) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.
The prosecution said the defendant committed the offence around August 11, 2014, in Lagos.
The defendant however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following the plea of the defendant, Ozioko requested for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in a correctional facility while the defence counsel, Kolapo Gbadamosi, informed the court of a bail application.
However, Justice Dada, noted that the bail application would be heard at the next adjourned date
She said, “The defendant should be remanded at any correctional facility service of his choice pending the hearing of the bail application.”
She adjourned the matter until May 15, 2020 for trial.
