The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC, on December 17, 2018, arraigned a former Chairman, Board of Directors,Skye Bank Plc, Tunde Ayeni, before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja on an eight-count charge, bordering on money laundering to the tune of about N8 billion.
Ayeni was arraigned alongside Timothy Ajani Oguntayo, for allegedly conspiring
at different times to fraudulently divert depositors’ funds domiciled at Skye
Bank Plc.
After the arraignment, the judge, in a dramatic twist, granted the defendants
36 hours freedom, to meet the bail conditions or be remanded in Kuje prison.
They were asked to go home.
One of the counts reads: “That you Dr. Tunde Ayeni whilst being the
Chairman Board of Directors of Skye Bank Plc and Timothy Ajani Oguntayo whilst
being the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Skye Bank between the years
2014 and 2015 conspired at different times to do an illegal act, to wit; caused
cash delivery to you, Dr. Tunde Ayeni of the sums of money totalling
N4,750,000,000 (Four Billion, Seven Hundred and Fifty Million Naira) and
USD5,000,000 (Five Million United States Dollars) belonging to Skye Bank Plc,
contrary to the provisions of Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering
(Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended) read together with Section 18 (a) of the
Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended) and punishable under
Section 16(2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as
amended)”. They pleaded “not guilty” to all the counts.
In view of their
pleas, prosecuting counsel, Abba Mohammed, prayed the court for a trial date
and prayed that the defendants be remanded in prison custody, pending the
hearing of their bail applications.
Before the court’s ruling, Counsel for the first defendant,
Dele Adesina, SAN, who held brief for the lead counsel, Wole Olanipekun, SAN,
informed the court of their pending bail application, which was served on the
prosecution on December 13, 2018. Counsel for the second defendant, Oyetola
Oshobi, SAN, made similar application.
Ruling on the applications for bail, the court admitted the
defendants to bail on in the sum of N50 million with two sureties each in like
sum.
The court further ruled: “The sureties may be either civil
servants of not less than the rank of assistant director or be private
businessmen or professionals provided that one of the sureties is a civil
servant, the other surety being a private businessman or a professional must be
the owner of a landed property of sufficient value within Abuja metropolis,
excluding the satellite towns,” the trial judge held.
Justice Dimgba added that: “But where the two sureties are
private businessmen or professionals, they must show evidence of landed
properties of sufficient value within Abuja metropolis excluding the satellite
towns.
“The defendants shall deposit their international
passports before the court and shall not travel outside the country without the
permission of the court”.
The court further gave the defendants 36 hours to meet the
bail conditions or be remanded in Kuje prison.
The matter was thereafter adjourned to February 13 and 14,
2019, for “commencement of trial”.
Credit: EFCC website