The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, on Tuesday, January 21, 2020, arraigned one Lere Fashola Emmanuel and his company, Legal Blitz Limited, before Justice Solebo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on a three-count charge bordering on conversion and issuance of dud cheque to the tune of N20,000,000.00 (Twenty Million Naira).
One of the counts reads: “That you, Lere Fashola Emmanuel and Legal Blitz Limited, between 5th of January 2018 and 28th day of February 2018, in Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division, dishonestly converted for your own use the sum of Twenty Million Naira (N20,000,000.00) only, property of Mr. Adewumi Adebayo and committed an offence contrary to Sections 278 (1) (f) and 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”
Another count reads: “That you, Lere Fashola Emmanuel and Legal Blitz Limited, between 5th of January 2018 and 28th day of February 2018, in Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division, knowing that you had no sufficient fund in your Diamond Bank Plc, issued Cheque No. 53160448 dated 4th June 2018 in the sum of Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000.00) only as a refund in favour of Mr. Adewumi Adebola, which upon presentation was returned unpaid for lack of fund and committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (b) and (I) of Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act Cap D11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
In view of his plea, the prosecuting counsel, Joy Amahian, asked the court for a trial date and also prayed that the defendant be remanded in the correctional facility.
Counsel to the defendant, Dr. Susan Aga, however, informed the court of a bail application and prayed for a short date for its hearing.
Justice Solebo adjourned the matter to February 11, 2020 for hearing of the bail application and also ordered the defendant to be remanded in the correctional facility.
