By Dipo Olowookere
An employee of Sterling Bank Plc has been re-arraigned before Justice Lekan Ogunmoye of the Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
The suspect, Mr Ebenezer Adeolu Alonge, who works as a cashier of the financial institution, was taken to court by the Ibadan division of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He appeared before Justice Ogunmoye alongside his wife, Mrs Isakunle Olamide Oyinlola and his mother-in-law, Mrs Isakunle Eunice Moradeke.
They are facing a 12-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing contrary to section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Laws Cap 16 Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
One of the charges said, “That you Ebenezer Adeolu Alonge ‘M’, Isakunle Olamide Oyinlola ‘F’ and Isakunle Eunice Moradeke ‘F’ between the month of January 2017 and March 2017, at the premises of Sterling Bank Plc Ado-Ekiti branch, did steal the sum of N2.4 million property of Sterling Bank, by diverting same to the personal account of Isakunle Olamide Oyinlola with account number, 0047750660 and the personal account of Isakunle Eunice Moradeke with account number 0064222881, all with the Sterling Bank, Ado-Ekiti branch, being money for Ekiti State Primary and Secondary Education Development levy, and thereby committed an offence.”
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
In view of their plea, counsel to the EFCC, Adeola Elumaro, applied for a date for trial, but the defence counsel, Fasina Olayemi filed applications praying the court to admit the defendants to bail.
After hearing from counsels both parties, Justice Ogunmoye granted the defendants bail in the sum of N2 million each and two sureties in like sum. The judge noted that one of the surety shall be a government official not below grade level 12 while the other surety must be resident within jurisdiction, while the case was adjourned to February 5, 2019 for trial.