The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday, February 22 arraigned one Mary Maisirat Akerele, a socialite, on a five-count charge bordering on stealing to the tune of N35.5.
EFCC, Ibadan zonal office arraigned the suspect before Justice Abiodun Akinyemi of the Ogun State High Court 4, Abeokuta.
Trouble started for the 46-years-old socialite, who resides in Aseko area of Idiroko Ogun State, when the EFCC received a petition, alleging that she collected the said sum in instalments from one Alhaja Oladoja Abike, for the purpose of supplying four truck-load of rice from a rice milling company at Bida, Niger State but diverted the funds.
The defendant pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charge levelled against by the EFCC.
Counsel to the defendant, H. A Omikunle made an oral application for his client’s bail.
However, Shamsuddeen Bashir, counsel to EFCC, opposed the application due to the defendant’s failure to keep the terms of the administrative bail earlier granted her.
Justice Akinyemi adjourned the case till March 4, for determination of the bail application and ordered the remand of the defendant in the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Ibara, Abeokuta