Court remands Unionist Onoja in prison, over alleged N72.5m theft

A special offenses Court sitting in Ikeja yesterday, remanded former National Trustee of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), Mr. Peter Onoja in a correctional center for alleged theft of N72.5 million from the union.

Onoja is facing a six-count charge bothering on stealing, contrary to Section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State,2011.

Honorable Justice Mojisola Dada remanded the defendant in any correctional facility of his choice pending the hearing of his bail application. The Judge adjourned the case till January 24, 2023, for the commencement of trial and hearing of bail application.

Economic Crimes and Financial Commission (EFCC) Counsel, Mrs. Anita Imo, alleged that the defendant committed the offenses between February 2015 and August 2020 in Lagos. The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following his not-guilty plea, the prosecution urged the Court to remand the defendant to a correction center pending the commencement of trial.

The prosecution said: “In view of the not guilty plea of the defendant, we shall be asking for a trial date and we urge the Court that the defendant be remanded, my Lord “.

The defense Counsel, Mr. Paul Okwoi, however, informed the Court that the defense Counsel, could not file his bail application due to an error in it.

Okwoi, prayed the Court that the two dates be granted in December, for the defense Counsel to file his bail application.