Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ilorin zonal office has arraigned one Mustapha Ilyas Abdulwasiu, a lecturer with the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara state on offences bordering on employment scam and obtaining money under false pretence.
Mustapha was arraigned on a nine-count charge before Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of a Kwara State High Court Sitting in Ilorin on Tuesday.
The EFCC alleged that the defendant, a lecturer in Accounting department in the polytechnic, had at different times in 2019 defrauded many job seekers, majorly couples under a false pretence of helping them to secure employment in the institution.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you Mustapha Ilyas Abdulwasiu between June and July 2018 at Offa, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of #600,000.00 from one Amubiaya Raphael Oluwafemi by false pretence that you were in charge of employment at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa and obtained the money for the purpose of securing employment for the said Amubiaya Raphael Oluwafemi and his wife, Amubiaya Remi Janet which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, No. 14, 2006”.
Count nine of the charge reads: “That you, Mustapha Ilyas Abdulwasiu between December, 2018 and February 2019 at Offa within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of #550,000.00 from one Mustapha Kabir by false pretence that you were in charge of employment at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa and you obtained the money for the purpose of securing employment for the said Mustapha Kabir and his wife, Jimoh Ganiyatu which representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, No 14, 2006”.
The 36-year-old lecturer pleaded not guilty when the nine-count charges were read to him in court.
Prosecuting counsel, A.A Adebayo told Justice Sikiru Oyinloye that: “My Lord, considering the plea of the defendant, we humbly apply for a trial date to enable the prosecution to prove its case. We also pray your Lordship to remand the accused person in prison custody”.
Defence Counsel, M. O. Balogun, in his response said: “My Lord, we shall not be opposing the application seeking for adjournment to enable the prosecution to open its case, but, however, we urge your Lordship to allow us making an oral application for the bail of the defendant, on the grounds that I have just been served with the charge this morning”.
The prosecuting counsel, who refuted the claims, said the accused person was served with the charge since October 14.
Justice Oyinloye after confirming that Mustapha was served since October 14, said the bail application should be filed and adjourned the hearing till November 7, 2019.
The judge also ordered the accused lecturer to be remanded in Mandala prison pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
