The immediate former Speaker of the State of Assembly, Hon. Bamidele David Oleyeloogun, and two other people were cleared of N2.4 million fraud by an Ondo State High Court in Akure.
Recall that the former Speaker and two other people were docked for corruption three years ago by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), a high court in Ondo State.
The anti-graft agency charged former Speaker Oleyeloogun, Hon. Felemu-Gudu Bankole, and senior public servant Segun Oyadeyi with two counts that amounted to conspiracy and giving themselves undue advantages by using their positions.
Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye, who delivered the ruling, stated that the anti-graft agency could not establish beyond a reasonable doubt the accusations of corruption and conspiracy against the government servant and the legislators.
In charge of AK/106C/2022, the EFCC accused the three of embezzling N2.4 million from the State Assembly.
The anti-graft agency claims that the money was intended for a seminar that the MPs and civil personnel were supposed to attend.
The lawmakers were supposed to have attended a two-day seminar hosted by the National Productivity Centre in Lagos in 2019, which is when the EFCC allegedly prosecuted the fraud.
The EFCC claims that the politicians asked for money to be given so that four members of the Committee on Tertiary Education may attend the seminar, which was set for Wednesday, December 11th, and Thursday, December 12th 2020.
The previous clerk, the deputy speaker, Hon. Ogundeji Iroju, the chairman of the House Committee on Tertiary Education, and two committee members were among the principal officers of the assembly who had committed to attend the seminar.
The seminar, according to them, was aimed at institutional productivity, consciousness and excellence in service among workers and organizations in both public and private sectors, to accord workers and organizations the platform in achieving high productivity as well as giving impetus to the seminar in charting the pathway in revitalizing the Educational Sector.”
However, it was claimed that no such seminar was held and that the N2.4 million in funds that the state Ministry of Finance had released had instead gone into private pockets.
However, in the objection submitted by their attorney, Mr. Femi Emodamori, the defendants argued that the EFCC lacked the authority to prosecute them and hence asked the court to refuse to wipe out the allegations against them.
The defendants claimed that because the charge had not been brought in accordance with the proper legal procedure, it was faulty and flawed.
Emodamori went on to say that there was no evidence to support the defendants’ allegations of wrongdoing. They need to be released and found not guilty, he argued.
As to his statement, the offenders were charged with a meager N2.4 million.
He claimed the funds were in the Assembly’s account and belonged to the House of Assembly, adding that there was no proof the anti-corruption commission had claimed the funds had been used.
Ogundeji, the first prosecution witness, had his testimony dismissed by Justice Adebusoye in his ruling.
The judge noted that his testimony during cross-examination contradicted his testimony during evidence in main, and he declared that the evidence was supplied maliciously.
Therefore, Adebusoye claimed that the prosecution’s case was doomed since they neglected to summon additional politicians and government officials who were scheduled to attend the seminar.
The defendants’ use of their positions to corruptly profit themselves has not been proven beyond a reasonable doubt, the court added, adding that there was no proof that the disputed sum was held in their private accounts.
The court further stated that the prosecution was dismissed and acquitted because they were unable to establish the elements of the conspiracy and provide themselves an unfair advantage.