Minister given N130m dud cheques, culprit sent to prison

Abiodun Adisa, managing director of Picket Suites and Services
Limited, who issued N130m dud cheques to one Okechukwu Enelamah,
will spend the New Year in jail.

It was not clear whether the case was referring to the minister
of trade and industry, who bears the same name.

Adisa was sent to jail by a Federal High court in Lagos after he
was docked by the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), of the Nigeria Police
Force.

The SFU alleged that Adisa issued 15 Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB)
cheques to Enelamah, who has connection with Fredliz Estates
Limited, in settlement of his indebtedness to the company. The
cheques were issued between August 22, 2016 and June 30, 2017.

All were dishonoured for lack of funds.

The SFU said the offences violated section 1(a)(i) of the
Dishonoured Cheques (offences) Act Cap. D11, Laws of the Federation
of Nigeria, 2004.

Adisa pleaded not guilty to the charge.

His lawyer, Mr. Adewale Olawoyin, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria
(SAN), pleaded with the court to grant his client bail in liberal
terms, pending the trial.

Olawoyin (SAN) particularly informed the court to discountenance
the allegation made by the prosecution that his client will not
come to court if granted bail, saying that even when the accused
was granted administrative bail, he travelled to America for
medical treatment, and he willingly reported back to the police on
his arrival.

Olawoyin (SAN) therefore, urged the court to grant his client’s
bail application.

The prosecutor, Mr.Slevester Azubike, objected to the bail.

He told the court that police had filed a 15 paragraph
counter-affidavit against the bail application, doubting the nature
of the accused sickness and the medical report presented, having
not emanated from any government hospital.

After listening to the submissions of both parties, Justice
Hadiza Rabiu-Shagari, ordered that the accused be remanded in
prisons custody until 3 January 2018, for ruling on the bail
application.

Abiodun Adisa, managing director of Picket Suites and Services
Limited, who issued N130m dud cheques to one Okechukwu Enelamah,
will spend the New Year in jail.

It was not clear whether the case was referring to the minister
of trade and industry, who bears the same name.

Adisa was sent to jail by a Federal High court in Lagos after he
was docked by the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), of the Nigeria Police
Force.

The SFU alleged that Adisa issued 15 Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB)
cheques to Enelamah, who has connection with Fredliz Estates
Limited, in settlement of his indebtedness to the company. The
cheques were issued between August 22, 2016 and June 30, 2017.

All were dishonoured for lack of funds.

The SFU said the offences violated section 1(a)(i) of the
Dishonoured Cheques (offences) Act Cap. D11, Laws of the Federation
of Nigeria, 2004.

Adisa pleaded not guilty to the charge.

His lawyer, Mr. Adewale Olawoyin, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria
(SAN), pleaded with the court to grant his client bail in liberal
terms, pending the trial.

Olawoyin (SAN) particularly informed the court to discountenance
the allegation made by the prosecution that his client will not
come to court if granted bail, saying that even when the accused
was granted administrative bail, he travelled to America for
medical treatment, and he willingly reported back to the police on
his arrival.

Olawoyin (SAN) therefore, urged the court to grant his client’s
bail application.

The prosecutor, Mr.Slevester Azubike, objected to the bail.

He told the court that police had filed a 15 paragraph
counter-affidavit against the bail application, doubting the nature
of the accused sickness and the medical report presented, having
not emanated from any government hospital.

After listening to the submissions of both parties, Justice
Hadiza Rabiu-Shagari, ordered that the accused be remanded in
prisons custody until 3 January 2018, for ruling on the bail
application.