By Abiola Olawale
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Friday, has granted an order remanding the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of Duport Midstream Company Limited, Akintoye Akindele, in the Kuje Correctional Centre over alleged $5.6m fraud.
The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, ordered that Akindele be remanded in the correctional center till March 20, when the court will consider the documents to perfect his bail application.
Akindele is currently standing trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja over a lawsuit instituted against him by the office of the Inspection General of Police (IGP). He is facing trial on a four-count charge. He was alleged to have diverted $5,636,397.01 and N72,543,763.25 belonging to Summit Oil International Ltd.
In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/570/2023, Akindele was alleged to have committed the crime between 2017 and 2021.
It will be recalled that the court had on March 1, admitted him to bail in the sum of N750 million with two sureties in like sum, shortly after he was arraigned on allegations bordering on fraud to the tune of $5.6 million.
Justice Omotosho in granting the bail, held that the defendant must meet all the conditions attached to the bail before or by March 8, and later adjourned till March 15, for commencement of trial.
Part of the conditions is that the two sureties must own landed property within the jurisdiction of the court. In addition, the sureties who must swear to an affidavit of means are to also deposit their statements of account with the registrar of the court.
Justice Omotosho, who had held that because the defendant came to court from his house, the court would permit him to enjoy the bail of the FCT High Court, till March 8, maintaining that the defendant would be remanded if he failed to meet the conditions of the new bail by March 8, 2024.
