The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday arraigned Stephen Oshinowo, a former Executive Secretary, Lagos State Scholarship Board, for alleged N127 million fraud.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports Oshinowo during the arraignment before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of an Ikeja Special Offences Court pleaded not guilty to the eight-count fraud charge.
According to the EFCC prosecutor, Usman Buhari, the scholarship board boss committed the offences between 2016 and 2018 in Lagos.
Buhari said: “Investigation revealed that Oshinowo, at various times, allegedly diverted to his personal use the total sum of N127.1 million meant for the Board.
“Sometime in 2018, he dishonestly converted N30 million property of Lagos State Scholarship Board, through one Oshinowo Adenike.
“Between February 8, 2016 and December 30, 2016, while acting as the Secretary of Lagos State Scholarship Board, dishonestly converted through Julikam International Limited, the sum of N39 million.”
After the arraignment, Buhari asked for a trial date and also requested that the former civil servant be remanded at the correctional centre.
The defence counsel, Lawal Pedro (SAN), however, requested for a short adjournment for the hearing of Oshinowo’s bail application.
Justice Taiwo adjourned the case until July 3 for hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the EFCC.