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Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday, February 2, 2022, adjourned the trial of Olayinka Olaiya, who is being prosecuted for an alleged N67.7m fraud, till March 28, 2022 for continuation of trial.
Olaiya was arraigned on March 19, 2020, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a seven-count charge bordering on stealing to the tune of N67,760,000 (Sixty-seven Million, Seven Hundred and Sixty Thousand Naira).
The defendant allegedly stole the money whilst being the Registrar of Dental Technology Registration Board.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Olayinka Olaiya, between 17th day of September, 2015 and 19th day of October, 2015 in Lagos and within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, being the Registrar of Dental Technology Registration Board, dishonestly converted to the use of Make Up Nigeria Limited the sum of N12, 150,000 (Twelve Million, One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), property of Dental Registration Board.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against him by the EFCC.
At today’s proceedings, the defence counsel, Opeyemi Adekoya, informed the Court that the defendant had not been able to raise “the agreed amount”.
“We need more time to raise the balance of N20 million,” Adekoya said.
Responding, the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, expressed surprise that the defendant had only been able to raise only N2 million.
“It’s not the money that was lost, but public funds traced to him.
“We’ll be asking the Court for a definite date for continuation of trial.
“This is because from all indications, he is not serious with it (restitution),”Oyedepo said.
Consequently, Justice Dada adjourned till March 28 to 30, 2022, for continuation of trial.
