FOR allegedly defrauding ECOBANK of the sum of N179.83 million, customer service Manager Tosin Lawal and her husband, Michael, were on Friday charged before an Igbosere High Court in Lagos State.
The accused are facing an eleven-count charge bordering on conspiracy and theft, preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The couple, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
They were formerly charged before Justice Candide Johnson of the Igbosere High Court, who granted the first defendant bail in the sum of N5 million, before the case was transferred to another court.
According to the EFCC, the accused conspired to defraud Ecobank of N179.83 million through fraudulent sales of foreign currencies.
It said the offences contravened Sections 390 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2003.
At the re-arraignment of the couple, Justice Christopher Balogun, ordered that the pleas of the defendants be taken again and reminded the court that all the former bail applications and conditions could be voided at the discretion of the court.
The counsel to the defendants, Mr Labi Lawal, told the court that the second defendant had been on bail since Jan. 24, 2012 and that he intended to apply for a new bail application for the two defendants.
“The first defendant had been on bail since Jan. 24, 2012 but the second defendant had been in custody since June 2010.
“So I intend to file a new bail application for the first and second defendants,” he said.
Balogun said the case was a transferred one which should be handled carefully and asked counsel to agree on dates for the hearing of the bail application and the substantive suit.
He adjourned the case till May 2 for bail application and May 21 for the substantive suit.