Date: 2019-10-09

A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin on Tuesday ordered Babatunde Muhammad Bashir to be remanded in Oke Kura Prison pending the hearing and determinating of a four-count charge bordering on internet fraud brought against him by the Ilorin zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The anti-graft spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja.

Count one of the charge reads, "That you, Babatunde Muhammad Bashir on or about the 20th day of September 2019 in Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Kwara State, with intend to defraud, had in your possession a document containing false pretence, to wit: hangout with +1 6212-913-2052, in which you represented yourself as a Detective and requested one Mr Elian Torres Saucedo to send $500 gift cards, a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 6 and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act".

But it was reported that the suspect pleaded not guilty to the four-count charges.

On this basis, the prosecuting counsel, Christopher Mschelia asked the court for a date for the commencement of trial and to remand the defendant in prison custody pending the hearing and determination of the case.

However, defense counsel, Lanre Badmus objected to the prosecution's request for the remand of his client in prison custody.

But in his ruling, Justice Oyinloye overruled the objection and ordered the defendant to be remanded in Oke-Kura Prison.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to October 30, for commencement of trial.