#BBB NEWS| Former Head Of Service Oronsaye Granted Free Bail In N2 Billion Fraud Case

Former Head of Service Stephen Oronsaye was granted bail “in self-recognizance” on Tuesday during court proceedings for the N2 billion fraud he and a colleague are accused of by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), according to a statement by the agency.

“In self-recognizance” means that no bail amount was posted because the accused individual “recognizes” his or her obligation to appear at the next court date, which for Mr. Oronsaye is on October 5. Justice Gabriel Kolawale of the Federal High Court in Abuja also ordered that Mr. Oronsaye’s passport be deposited with the court.

Osarenkhoe Afe, who is accused of the N2 billion fraud along with Mr. Oronsaye, received far less favorable bail conditions. He is required to post N50 million and fulfill other bail conditions or he will be remanded to prison on July 24.

Former Chairman of the Pension Task Force Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, who is also accused of the crime, did not appear before the judge but sent a lawyer in his stead who claimed that Mr. Maina was never summoned by the EFCC.

The prosecution, led by Rotimi Jacobs, denied this claim, and said that in fact Mr. Maina has been in Dubai to avoid calls to court.

The trio is accused of complicity in using two companies, Frederick Hamilton Global Services Limited and Xangee Technologies Limited, to make N2 billion through fraudulent biometric enrollment deals.



Source