$1.410 Million Fraud: Court Dismisses Jurisdiction Application

Justice Tijjani Ringim of Federal High Court. Lagos, has dismissed an application filed by a businessman, Kolawole Adebayo Erinle, challenging court’s jurisdiction to hear a fraud case of $1.410 million, against him.

The businessman was brought before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a charge marked FHC/L/293c/2023, on charges of conspiracy and obtaining the sum of $1,410, 000.00, by false pretence.

The Defendant through his Lawyer, Lawal Pedro, SAN, filed an application challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter, while the matter was pending

EFCC through its Lawyer, Mr Banjo Temitope, vehemently opposed the application, and urged the court to dismiss the application and order the Defendant to appear before it and take his plea.

Ruling on the arguments canvassed by parties on the application, Justice Ringim held that the Defendant must submit himself to the court and take his plea, before any application can be entertained.

Consequently, the Judge dismissed the application for lacking in merit, and ordered the Defendant to appear before the court on October 12, to take his plea.

The Defendant is currently standing trial before Justice Ramon Oshodi, of an Ikeja Special Offences Court in another fraud related charge. He is being prosecuted before the court alongside his company, Rinde-Remdex Nigeria Limited, on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of $1.410 million.