A leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State has been remanded in prison on the order of the court over an alleged N40 million fraud.
The suspect, Dr Taiwo Malumi, was arraigned before Justice Abdulaziz Anka of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Wednesday.
Dr Mulumi, who is a medical doctor and Managing Director of Funtai Limited, is the senatorial leader of the APC in Ondo State South Senatorial District.
In a one-count criminal charge (No.FHC/L/302C/16) filed by the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, Malumi was alleged to have fraudulently obtained the sum of N40 million from one Nick Shaiyen, Managing Director of Whitehall Management Limited.
The said sum was allegedly obtained from the victim through a property sold to him by Malumi. The property, identified as Unit B9, Funtai Court, 3, Ruxton Street, Ikoyi, Lagos, was falsely presented to Shaiyen as being totally free from encumbrances.
According to the prosecutor, Ekong Sunday, the alleged offense contravenes Section 1(1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences Act 2016.
However, the APC bigwig pleaded not guilty to the charge.
An attempt by his lawyer, Olumide Esan, to have his bail application heard failed, as he was unable to present the bail summon he had just filed before the court. The prosecutor also told the court that he needed time to respond to the application.
He was thereafter ordered to be remanded in prison, while the matter was adjourned till October 6, 2016 for commencement of trial.
