EFCC Arraigns Popular Ogun Socialite, Mary Akerele Over N35m Scam (Photo)

 

A popular female socialite in Ogun state has landed in serious trouble.

 

Mary Akere has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibadan Zonal Office, on Monday and arraigned before Justice Abiodun Akinyemi of the Ogun State High Court 4, Abeokuta, on five counts bordering on stealing to the tune of N35,520,000.

 

The Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, indicated that trouble started for the 46-year-old socialite, who resides in the Aseko area of Idiroko, Ogun State, when the commission received a petition alleging that she collected the said sum in instalments from one Alhaja Abike Oladoja to supply four truckloads of rice from a milling company in Bida, Niger State, but allegedly diverted the funds.

 

One of the charges read, “That you, Mary Masirat Akerele (trading under the name and style of Goodness of Jesus Global Ventures), on or about the 19th day of September, 2018 at Abeokuta, within the Abeokuta Judicial Division of the honourable court, fraudulently converted to your own use the sum of N11m only, property of Fausia Abike Oladoja, thereby committed an offence of stealing contrary to Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 30, Laws of Ogun State, 2006.”

 

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to her.

 

Counsel for the defendant, H. A. Omikunle, made an oral application for his client’s bail. However, the counsel for the EFCC, Shamsuddeen Bashir, opposed the application on the grounds of the defendant’s failure to keep to the terms of the administrative bail earlier granted her.

 

Justice Akinyemi adjourned the case till March 4 for the determination of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Ibara Correctional Centre, Abeokuta.