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Tayo Olanipekun
Lagos State Government on Tuesday arraigned two of members of its staff over allegations of fraud.
The duo of Babajide Odekunle and Olugbenga Omolewu of the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) were arraigned at the Ikeja Magistrate Court.
They both faced a two-count charge bordering on fraud and falsifying the account of LASIMRA, “thereby committing a grave crime punishable under the Laws of Lagos.”
The first count charge read: “That you, Babajide Odekunle and Olugbenga Omolewu and others now at large between September 2015 and August 2017 in the Ikeja Magisterial District conspired among yourselves to commit felony to wit, false accounting, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 411 of the Criminal Law, Cap. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State 2015.”
The second count charge read: “That you, Babajide Odekunle and Olugbenga Omolewu and others now at large between September 2015 and August 2017 in the Ikeja Magisterial District, being officers in charge of the receipt and management of the Revenue of Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) did make false statement and return of the said revenue to the Lagos State Government, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 33 of the Criminal Law, Cap. C.17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.”
After the charges were read, the accused pleaded not guilty to the offences and Magistrate Aje Afuwa granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 each.
Each of the accused was also required by the court to produce two sureties, one of who must be a grade level 15 officer and above in the state civil service, while the other sureties must be their relatives.
