N13.3m fraud: Ex-staff of Edo psychiatric hospital gets bail

By By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

The Benin division of the Federal High court yesterday admitted a former staff of Federal Nuero-Psychiatric Hospital in Edo State, Kennedy Osamwonyi Oriakhi to bail.
The accused was last Friday remanded remanded in prison custody in connection with N13. 3 million fraud belong to Psychiatric Hospital staff Multipurpose Cooperative society.
The presiding Judged, Justice P. I. Ajuku while ruling on the bail application by the defendant Counsel, Mr. Ovenseri Otamere noted that “bail is a fundamental right to the defendant not charged on capital offence”.
Justice Ajuku afterwards granted the defendant bail with #1million and 2 sureties in like sum.
The court further held that the sureties must be Civil servants with a grade not lower that level 12 and own a landed properties with C of O.
The defendant is standing trial in a 5-count charge of money laundering preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He is alleged to have defrauded the hospital’s staff Multipurpose Coorperative Society of #13.3 million.
The court had remanded the accused in prison last Friday.
According to the Suit in charge No: FHC/B/79c/2017, the prosecuting counsel, C. A. Okoli Esq. told the court that the defendant had in his capacity as the former President of Psychiatric Hospital staff Multipurpose Coorperative Society Limited committed the offence on February 20, 2015.
Okoli, said the accused first transferred the money to companies who are non-members of the co-operative and later appropriated same to his FCMB personal account.
The prosecuting Counsel further pointed out that the defendant therefore committed an offence contrary to section 15 and punishable under section 15(3) of the money laundering (prohibition Act 2011 as amended.