N190m Fraud: Ex-HoS, Orosanya Pleads Not Guilty To Two-Count Corruption Charge
Stephen Oronsaye, former Head of Service[/caption]
A former Head of Service to the Federation, Stephen Oronsaye has pleaded not guilty to the two count charge leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
This followed an oral application by the prosecution, O. Uket seeking the court to allow the accused person enter his plea and an application that the court remand Oronsaye in prison custody pending trial.
“My lord, we shall be asking for a date to commence the trial, in the interim however we apply that the defendant be remanded in prison custody”, Uket submitted.
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Counsel to Oronsaye, Mr. Joe Agi, SAN, who led three other Senior Advocates of Nigeria that entered appearance for the defendant, called the attention of the court to the fact that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, had on Monday, directed that criminal cases must be heard on a day-to-day basis, starting from the day of arraignment.
He therefore prayed that the court compel the EFCC to immediately open its case against his client.
In his ruling, Justice O.O. Goodluck upheld the submission of the defence counsel and ordered the prosecution to produce its witnesses immediately.
The EFCC lawyer, who was unprepared, begged the court for a stand down to enable him produce some of the proposed witnesses, an application that was accordingly granted.
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Oronsaye is standing trial before Justice Goodluck on a two count charge of corruption and obtaining money by false pretence.
The two-count charge against Orosanye read: “That you Stephen Oronsaye a.k.a. Mr Steve Oronsaye on or about 12th June, 2013 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory whilst being the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force and in such capacity entrusted with certain property to wit: the sum of N90,000,000.00 ( Ninety Million Naira) committed Breach of Trust in respect of the said sum by converting it to your personal use through the investment of the said sum of N90,000,000.00 in Access Bank Plc’s Bankers Acceptance for a tenor of 90 days at 9.0% interest rate in violation of the extant financial regulations.
“That you Stephen Oronsaye a.k.a. Mr Steve Oronsaye on or about 30th December, 2014 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory whilst being the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force and in such capacity entrusted with certain property to wit: the sum of N100,000,000.00 ( One Hundred Million Naira) committed Breach of Trust in respect of the said sum by converting it to your personal use through the investment of the said sum of N90,000,000.00 in Access Bank Plc’s Bankers Acceptance for a tenor of 90 days at 12.0% interest rate each in violation of the extant financial regulations”.
