The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday arraigned the immediate past chairperson of Kwara State Scholarship Board, Fatimah Yusuf, and two others, namely: Fatai Lamidi and Stephen Ajewole before Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of the State High Court, Ilorin.
A statement by the EFCC’s acting Head of Media & Publicity, Tony Orilade, said the suspects were arraigned on a seven-count charge for their alleged involvements in bursary fraud in the state.
According to Mr Orilade, count two of the charge reads: “That you, Fatimah Yusuf (while being the chairman, Kwara State Scholarship Board), Fatai Lamidi (while being the executive secretary Kwara State Scholarship Board) and Ajewole Stephen (while being the accountant, Kwara State Scholarship Board) between the months of November 2018 and May 2019, in Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, while acting in those capacities and entrusted with N50,000,000.00 for the payment of 2018 bursary awards to 10,000 students who are indigenes of Kwara State, dishonestly disposed of N6,269,950 out of the sum in violation of the direction of law prescribing the mode the trust is to be discharged, thereby committed a criminal breach of trust punishable under Section 315 of the same law.”
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges, prompting prosecuting counsel, Blessing Akinsola to ask the court for a date for commencement of trial and for the defendants to be remanded in the custody of Nigerian Correctional Centre.
Counsel to the defendants, Isau Saka, Y.O Ahmed, however, urged the judge to grant them bail pending the hearing and determination of the case.
Justice Oyinloye admitted each of them to bail in the sum of N10million with two sureties in like sum.
The judge added that the suspects must also submit their travel documents to the court.
He, therefore, adjourned the matter until February 26, 2020 for commencement of trial.
