Suspects jump bail, sureties forfeit N9 million bond in a fraud

 Due to their unwillingness to turn over the suspects for trial, the law has taken legal action against two Kwara State Government workers who served as sureties for suspects under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's Ilorin Zonal Command for offenses relating to internet fraud. Adenigba Olusola, a worker for the State Judicial Service Commission, and Bisiriyu Abdulfatai, a worker for the State Universal Basic Education Board, are the two civil servants. Adeyemi Adeyeji and one Amaechi Umenye had Adenigba as their surety, and Dawodu Olusoji had Bisiriyu. The two civil servants had promised to turn over the defendants, who are now at large, if the anti-graft organization requested them. 

The trio of Amaechi, Adeyemi, and Dawodu was one of 30 suspected online fraudsters detained in the state's Offa, Offa Local Government Area sometime in 2020 as a result of an anonymous petition the EFCC received regarding the operations of the con artists known locally as "Yahoo Boys." As the case's investigations continued, Adenigba and Bisiriyu submitted separate bail applications to the EFCC's Ilorin Zonal Commander, signed bail agreements, and pledged to turn over the defendants whenever their presence was required.  

Following their release, the suspects violated the administrative bail set by the Commission, and their sureties were unable to provide them. As a result, the Commission went to Justice Adenike Akinpelu of the Kwara State High Court and requested that the sureties give justification as to why the bail bond should not be forfeited or that they not be imprisoned. Justice Akinpelu, who rendered a decision on the applications on Friday, agreed with the EFCC attorneys Sesan Ola and Andrew Akoja's argument that the two Kwara civil workers should lose their bail bond.

The court ordered Adenigba (surety to Amaechi) to forfeit the N5 million recognizance and remit N4.5 million thereon, but pay the sum of N500,000 within three months or be sentenced to six months in jail if he failed to pay the said sum. In Adeyemi's case, the judge ruled that Adenigba had to surrender the N1 million recognizance and pay the N750,000 on it, but he also had to pay N250,000 within three months or face a five-month prison sentence if he didn't.

For Bisiriyu, who served as Dawodu's surety, Justice Akinpelu imposed forfeiture of the N3 million recognizance and remittance of the N2 million thereon as well as payment of N1 million within three months or, in the event of nonpayment, six months in jail.

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