By G9ija
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday re-arraigned four men before an Ikeja High Court for alleged purchase and possession of forged U.S. dollars.
The defendants were: Mark Obisean, Olumide Mcintouch, Bolaji Bakare and Goodluck Bazunu.
They were re-arraigned on an amended 11-count charge bordering on purchasing forged bank notes and conspiracy to purchase forged bank notes.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The EFCC counsel, Nwandu Ukoha, therefore, prayed the court for a trial date to enable the prosecution call its witnesses and tender relevant documents to prove the case against them.
Counsel for first defendant, Bolaji Ayorinde, (SAN), however, informed the court of the bail application filed on behalf of his client.
Ayorinde argued that his client did not constitute a flight-risk.
NAN reports that counsel for the other defendants had no formal bail applications before the court for it to hear and rule on.
Justice Ismail Ijelu, while ruling on the bail application, admitted the first defendant to N20 million bail with two sureties in like sum.
Ijelu further remanded other defendants, who had no formal applications before the court, in correctional facility pending the filing and hearing of bail application.
The case has been adjourned till April 3, for trial.
The prosecution earlier submitted that the defendants with one and Josiah Ntekume still large, sometime in 2018 at Lagos received and had in their possession forged United States dollar Travellers Cheque number GA908-981-564.
According to the prosecutor, the alleged offences contravened Sections 370 and 410 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
NAN reports that the defendants were earlier arraigned before Justice Sherifat Solebo of the Special Offences Court in February 2022, but the trial could not be concluded before the retirement of the judge in November 2022.
This prompted the reassignment of the case before Ijelu.