Nigeria’s
football star, Nwankwo Kanu has lost N1.4 billion in his hotel business
and the Managing Director of the hotel, Mr. Ayoola Gam Ikon, 49, has
been arrested and charged to court for the alleged fraud.
Operatives
of the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit arrested Ikon, the
managing director of Hardley Suites Limited situated at Waziri Ibrahim
Crescent, off Elsie Femi Pearse Street, Victoria Island, Lagos southwest
Nigeria, for allegedly stealing the N1.4 billion belonging to the hotel
and suites owned by Kanu.
Also
arrested along with him over the alleged fraud is a hotel staff, Oke
Samuel. They were arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate’s court on a
19-count charge of felony to wit, obtaining money under false pretence.
The
police alleged in charge suit No. K/8/2013 that Ikon was arrested
following a complaint by the management of Hardley Suites Limited,
Nwankwo Kanu and Ogbonna Kanu, that Ikon between 2005 and 2012 allegedly
defrauded them of the sum of about N1.4 billion on the pretence of
using the money to expand the existing facilities of the hotel by
constructing and furnishing of additional blocks of 30 suites and
conference facilities, but he allegedly failed to use the money for the
purpose and allegedly converted the money to his personal use.
He
was also alleged to have forged a special resolution purportedly made
by the board of directors of Hardley Suites Limited to obtain loans of
N187 million, N50 million and N493 million from Skye Bank Plc without
authorization. The offences, the accused allegedly committed, according
to the prosecutor A.M. Animashaun, contravenes sections 8 (a) 1 (a) of
the advanced fee fraud and other fraud related offences Act 2006 as
applicable in Lagos State.
The
accused pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The prosecutor presented
before the court an application for the remand of the accused persons
in prison custody pending advice from the office of the directorate of
public prosecution, DPP, because the lower court lacks the jurisdiction
to try the matter.
But
the Chief Magistrate, Mrs. O.O. Oshin overruled him with legal facts
after quoting copiously from several sections of the criminal justice
administration laws of Lagos State to buttress her claim that the court
has the jurisdiction to hear and admit the accused to bail. She admitted
the first defendant to bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties
in like sum.
One
of the sureties must be the defendant himself, the other should be a
civil servant on level 16. She also admitted the second defendant to
bail in the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum. One of the
sureties must be a level 16 civil servant while the other must be
working with a reputable company. She adjourned the matter till 4 April,
2013 for mention. The defendants were, however, moved to Ikoyi Prison,
Lagos pending when they would fulfil the bail conditions.
Source: PM News
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