N610m subsidy scam: Court denies Ogunbambo bail

A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, presided over by Justice Adebisi Akinlade, on Tuesday turned down the bail application of Oluwaseun Ogumbambo, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a 14 count charge bordering conspiracy, forgery and obtaining by false pretence.
In refusing Ogunbambo bail, Justice Akinlade upheld the argument of the prosecution that the accused person could jump bail based on his fraudulent antecedents and dual citizenship.
Counsel to the EFCC, Francis Usani, had argued in a 10-paragraph affidavit that since Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, had denied the accused bail owing to his dual citizenship, it would serve the interest of justice if the court towed the same line.
Usani told the court that Ogunbambo was in the habit of using different names to procure international passports.
“”The UK’s  Identity and Passport Service has forwarded to the Commission, a letter showing that the applicant fraudulently obtained a British passport and that all passports issued to the applicant are now revoked,” he told the court.
He placed copies of international passports of Ogumbambo bearing different names and photographs before the court as evidence.
Adebayo Adenipekun, SAN, counsel to Ogunbambo, told the court in a 20-paragraph affidavit that his client has taken steps to refund the money he was alleged to have stolen and that the accused person will not jump bail if granted.
Besides, he vowed to use his position as a senior member of the bar to ensure that his client is available for trial.
Justice Akinlade, in her ruling, said that having reviewed all evidence placed before her and the need to protect the society from the criminal acts alleged to have been committed by Ogunbambo, she had no other choice than to deny him bail.
She ordered that the accused person continued to be remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Prison and adjourned proceedings to January 21, 2013 for trial.
Ogunbambo was arraigned by the EFCC on Monday on a 14 count charge for offences bordering on conspiracy to obtain, obtaining by false pretences, forgery and altering of documents to facilitate credit of N610, 000,000.