Admin l Monday, June 03, 2019
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – A civil servant with the Lagos State Government, Adesanya Omolaja Taiwo has been convicted and sentenced for one count charge of making false statement to a public officer contrary to Section 96(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Adesanya Omolaja Taiwo, who now works for the Ministry of Home Affairs and Culture was convicted for standing surety for one Olatayo Akanmu, a banker who swindled one of the banks to the tune of N300 million.
He was alleged to have collected N100,000 from one Alhaji Wasiu to stand surety for Akanmu who has jumped bail granted him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC).
Adesanya Omolaja Taiwo was arrested in the course of standing surety for another person, one Olalekan Bello. Reading his judgement today, Justice Hakeem Oshodi sentenced Omolaja Taiwo, whom his lawyer said has been in prison custody for 13 months to a fine of N200,000.
Justice Oshodi said the N200,000 must be paid in two months and that if he defults, he will b sentenced to one year imprisonment starting from today.
Justice Oshodi told the court that the offence for which Adesanya Omolaja Taiwo was charged is a misdemenor offence based on Section (96) (b) under the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State(ACJL) 2011 and that it carries a maximum sentence of one year. He added that Section 318(b) of the ACJL prescribes an option of fine.
He said that the option of fine in this case will be more effective to send a strong message that the the court frowns at the activities of people who have taken suretiship as a professional business.
Reading excerpts from cases handled and concluded at the Supreme Court, Justice Oshodi said a person can only stand surety to an individual that is very much known to him, with a vow to produce the person in court whenever he is needed until the case is conclude.
He said that in this case, the matter is yet to be concluded but that the person suretied has jumped bail and that Olatayo Akanmu was released by the EFCC to the defendant based on the information he provided.
He averred that while denying at other time, Adesanya Omolaja Taiwo owned up during interrogation and on exhibits before the court that he collected N100,000 from Alhaji Wasiu to stand surety for Olatayo Akanmu who is now at large.
