Four defendants were re-arraigned before Justice I.O. Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, over the purchase of forged bank notes and possession of forged United States Dollars Travellers Cheque. 

The defendant, identified as Mark Obisean, Olumide Mcintouch, Bolaji Bakare and Goodluck Bazunu, pleaded not guilty to the amended 11-count charge levied against them by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

One of the counts reads: “Mark Obisean, Olumide Mcintouch, Bolaji Bakare, Goodluck Bazunu, and Josiah Ntekume (at large) sometime in 2018 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division, received and have in your possession forged United States Dollars Travellers Cheque number GA908-981-564.”

Another count reads: “Mark Obisean, Olumide Mcintouch, Bolaji Bakare, Goodluck Bazunu, and Josiah Ntekume (at large), sometime in 2018 at Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, conspired to purchase, received, and have in your possession forged United States travellers cheques.”

In a statement by the Commission’s Spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, the prosecution counsel, N.K. Ukoha, prayed the Court for a trial date to enable the prosecution to call its witnesses and tender relevant documents to prove the case against them. While the Counsel for the first defendant, Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, informed the Court of the bail application filed on behalf of his client, arguing that his client “does not constitute a flight risk”, the Counsel for the other defendants had no formal bail applications before the Court to hear and rule on.

Ruling on the bail application, Justice Ijelu granted the first defendant bail in the sum of N20 million with two sureties in like sum. Other defendants were returned to the Correctional Facility and the case was adjourned till April 3, 4 and 5, 2023, for trial.