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Five suspects were on Thursday arraigned at the Lagos State High Court l in Ikeja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly purchasing forged bank notes.
Mark Obisean, Olumide Mcintouch, Bolaji Bakare, Goodluck Bazunu and Josiah Ntekume (at large) were arraigned before Justice I.O Ijelu on an amended 11-count charge that border on purchasing forged bank notes contrary and conspiracy to purchase forged bank notes.
Part of the charge reads: “Mark Obisean, Olumide Mcintouch, Bolaji Bakare, Goodluck Bazunu, and Josiah Ntekume (at large) sometime in 2018 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division, received and have in your possession forged United States dollar Travellers Cheque number GA908-981-564.”
Another charge reads, “Mark Obisean, Olumide Mcintouch, Bolaji Bakare, Goodluck Bazunu, and Josiah Ntekume (at large) sometime in 2018 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division conspired to purchase, received, and have in your possession forged United States traveller’s cheques.”
The defendants denied the charges on purchase of and conspiracy to purchase forged bank notes, both offences which are both contrary to Section 370 and Section 410 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
Obisean, the first defendant was granted bail in the sum of N20m with two sureties in like sum after his re-arraignment.
Counsel for Obisean, Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), informed the court of the bail application filed on behalf of his client, arguing that his client does not constitute a flight risk.
Counsel for the other defendants, had no formal bail applications before the court for the court to hear and rule on, they were returned to the correctional facility.
The prosecuting counsel, N.K. Ukoha, urged the court for a trial date to enable the prosecution to call its witnesses and tender relevant documents to prove the case against them.
The case was adjourned till April 3, 4 and 5, 2023 respectively for trial.
The defendants had earlier been arraigned before Justice Sherifat Solebo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, in February 2022 but trial could not be concluded before her retirement from the Lagos State Judiciary in November 2022.