Date: 2017-04-05

A businessman, Mohammed Gobir, and a company, Mondial Defence Systems Limited, have been charged for allegedly defrauding the Kwara State Government of N276 million.

Gobir, an indigene of Kwara State, and the company are facing a five-count charge of stealing and forgery, slammed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. They, however, denied the charges.

According to the counsel for the EFCC, Zainab Etu, the offences were committed between November 2012 and January 2014 in Ikeja.

Etu said: "In November 2012, the defendants dishonestly converted to their use the N92.3 million, property of the Kwara State Government. "Sometime in 2013, the defendants dishonestly converted N184 million, also belonging to the Kwara State Government.

"The monies were collected under the guise of supplying three units of Armoured Personnel Carriers to the Kwara State Government. "The Armoured Personnel Carriers were never supplied.

"The accused forged three documents, the first on October 10, 2013 titled Letter of Award of Contract with reference number – S/GS/157/7/123. "The second was on December 28, 2013 a letter titled Letter of Award of Contract with reference number S/GS/157/VII/535.

"The third was on January 17, 2014 titled Letter of Intent with reference number: S/GS/157/T/15.

"The three letters were purportedly from the Office of the Secretary to the Kwara State Government, in relation to the bogus contracts."

According to the EFCC, the offence contravenes Sections 285 (9)(b) and 363 (2) (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Justice Josephine Oyefeso admitted Gobir to bail in the sum of N50milion, with two sureties in like sum. Oyefeso said that Gobir had two other fraud-related cases in the Federal High Court and the State High Court.

Oyefeso ordered that the accused should be remanded in custody, pending the perfection of his bail conditions. The case was adjourned until June 8 and 10 for continuation of trial.