A suspected fraudster, Andrew Warri, has been arrested and charged before a Lagos Special Offences Court, Ikeja, for allegedly defrauding GTBank to the tune of N125 million.
The defendant, Warri, was arraigned before the Court by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over the alleged offence.
The defendant was re-arraigned before Justice Olubusola Okunuga on a five-count charge bordering on issuance of dude cheques, stealing, obtaining by false pretence.
He was arraigned alongside two companies: A.M. Projects Consultancy Limited and Ranez Medical Consultancy Limited.
He pleaded not guilty.
The prosecuting counsel, A. A. Usman, prayed the Court for a trial date and to remand the defendant at a correctional facility pending the determination of the case.
However, the defendant’s counsel, A. M. Makinde (SAN), prayed the Court for his client to continue with the earlier bail granted him by the previous judge, since he did not violate the earlier bail condition.
But the prosecution differed, saying that because the matter was presented afresh, he should seek a new bail application just as he considered the defendant a ‘flight risk’.
Justice Okunuga, while giving her ruling on the bail application, agreed with the defendant’s counsel that his client should continue to enjoy the earlier bail granted him based on the fact that he had not contravened the conditions.
Earlier, the prosecution informed the Court that the Commission had an amended charge against the defendant following the ruling on a “No case submission”, which discharges the defendant on count one and two.
Justice Sherifa Solebo gave the verdict before she retired from the bench, and the case was later transfered to Justice Okunuga for trial.
Based on the ruling, the defendant, Warri, was discharged and freed on count one and two of the charge, while the Court ordered the defendant to defend himself on count three to six and adjourned the matter for trial.