A suspected fraudster, Abolarin Kayode, was on Wednesday re-arraigned before Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin Zonal office, after initially jumping bail.
Kayode, 32, was arraigned on seven-count charges bordering on internet fraud and other fraud-related offences.
The suspect was initially arraigned sometime in February 2019 before Justice Babagana Ashigar of the Federal High Court, Ilorin, but absconded after being granted bail.
According to the Commission, his luck ran out in August as EFCC operatives traced him to the Government Reserved Area (G.R.A.) in Ilorin where he was rearrested.
One of the charges read: “That you, Abolarin Kayode (alias Lauren Saint) on or about the 6th day of February 2019, in Ilorin within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Kwara State, with intent to defraud, had in your possession a document containing false pretence, to wit, an email titled “Paid to drive initiative by your Budweiser,” which you sent to one Chad Bakichan American citizen through your acclaimed email laurensaint345@gmail.com, a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 read along with Section 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1 of the same Act.”
On his re-arraignment on Wednesday, he pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting prosecution counsel, Nnaemeka Omewa, to ask the court for a trial date and for the suspect to be remanded in prison custody.
Responding, counsel to the defendant, Mr I. Abdulazeez, pleaded with the court to remand his client in the custody of the EFCC.
Justice Oyinloye refused to grant the defendant counsel’s plea but ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison. He adjourned the matter to October 17, 2019.