An Omu-Aran Upper Area Court in Kwara on Wednesday ordered the remand of two persons alleged to have stolen N8.8million belonging to a cooperative society.

The accused, Sola Adewumi and Modupe Awotayo, both residents of Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara, are facing a five-count charge of fraud, cheating, breach of trust and stealing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court also issued a warrant of arrest on the third accused person, Sunday Oyeyipo, said to be at large.

The judge, Mr Samuel Fagbemi, in his ruling, said the court was constrained by the huge amount of money involved and could not grant bail to the accused persons.

"Although granting bail to accused persons is at the discretion of the court and not meant to be punitive, the court is, however, constrained, under this circumstance, in view of the huge amount of money involved. "The accused are hereby remanded in prison custody," Fagbemi said.

The judge ordered that Adewumi be remanded at the Omu-Aran Medium Prison, while Awotayo should be put in custody at the Oke-Kura Maximum prison in Ilorin. He adjourned the case till April 26 for further hearing.

Earlier, the prosecution had told the court that the accused stole the amount belonging to members of the Cooperative Thrift and Credit Society (CTCS), Irepodun Local Government chapter in Kwara.

According to the prosecution, the offences contravene Sections 286, 311, 320, 16 and 17 of the Penal Code.

The CTCS had also petitioned the court seeking the prosecution of Adewunmi and Oyeyipo, both members of staff of the Irepodun Local Government, and Awotoye an employee of the CTCS, for stealing the said sum.

The letter was signed by Messrs Opeyemi Fadeyi, Sunday Abidoye and Alhaji Mustapha Salami, the CTCS Chairman, secretary and treasurer respectively.

The CTCS explained that it discovered that the amount was missing during the audit of its accounts at the end of 2015.

"We have come to this court to seek redress, we have absolute confidence in the court that the accused persons shall be brought to book to face the full wrath of the law," the letter stated.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.(NAN)