A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that a Lagos businessman, Akintoye Akindele to be remanded in the Kuje prison pending when he is able to perfect the bail granted him.
Justice James Omotosho issued the order on Friday upon realising that Akindele has been unable to perfect the bail earlier granted.
Justice Omotosho had, upon his arraignment on March 1, granted bail to Akindele at N750million with two sureties in like sum, but insisted that he must perfect it before March 8 and adjourned till March 15 for trial.
At the mention of the case on Friday, the court found that Akindele was yet to perfect the bail, a development which informed the judge’s decision to order that he be sent to Kuje prison until March 20 when the case will come up again.
Akindele, described the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of Duport Midstream Company Limited was arraigned along with his firm before the court for allegedly diverting $5,636,397.01 and N73,543,763.25 belonging to Summit Oil International Limited.
Akindele and his firm are, in the four-count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/570/2023 filed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) alleged to have, between 2017 and 2021, stole, by dishonest conversion to thier use, the money they received from Shell Western Supply and Trading Limited under direction to transfer same to Summit Oil International Ltd.
Prosecuting lawyer, Simon Lough (SAN) told the court on Friday that the prosecution is desirous that the case be transfered to the Lagos division of the Federal High Court.
Lawyer to Akindele, James Onoja (SAN) objected to the oral application made by Lough for the transfer of the case to Lagos.
Justice Omotosho agreed with Onoja declined to entertain Lough’s oral application, noting the issue of transfer was one that the prosecution must put in writing.
The judge said: “Request for transfer is not by oral application, it has to come through affidavit evidence.”
He said in filing the application, the prosecution must state the grounds for the transfer, serve the application on the defendant, who will then either agree or object to the transfer by also giving reasons why the court should not grant the request.
Justice Omotosho subsequently adjourned till March 20.