By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned an Ilorin-based Associate Pastor with the Living Faith Church, also known as Winners Chapel, Temidayo Eseyin, for allegedly defrauding Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, to the tune of N19.3m.

Eseyin, a lawyer and former member of the Disciplinary Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ilorin Branch, was docked on a four-count charge bordering on misappropriation of funds belonging to the University before Justice Funsho Lawal of the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin.

In a petition to the EFCC, Mr. Eseyin, “whilst being a counsel/Attorney to Landmark University, Omu-Aran, had allegedly have access to the university’s properties, title documents and funds. In the assumed capacity, it was alleged that Mr. Eseyin was cheating, defrauding, misappropriating and shortchanging his client to her utmost dismay. Specifically in one of his alleged atrocities, the defendant, between 2014 – 2022 managed a property known as ‘Old Midland Building’ belonging to Landmark University, situated along Emir’s/Obbo Road, Ilorin, which rents Mr. Eseyin collected for 8years and could not produce when asked. The petitioner also alleged that Mr. Eseyin attempted to sell the property without instructions from the University. Hence, the petition to the EFCC.”

Count 3 of the charge stated: “That you, Temidayo Eseyin sometime in the year 2021, in Ilorin Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court dishonestly misappropriated the sum of Six Million, Sixty Four Thousand Naira Only (6, 064,000) representing payment of rent on property known as Old Midland Building belonging to Landmark University and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Law and Punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge, prompting the counsel to the EFCC, Rashidat Alao, to urge the court to fix a date for trial, while praying the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre pending trial.

However, Eseyin’s lawyer, Femi Makinde, moved an application for the bail of the defendant, praying the court to admit his client to bail pending trial.

Justice Lawal, while ruling on the application admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N10m with two sureties in the sum of N5m each. The judge ordered that the sureties must have landed properties within the jurisdiction of the court.

The judge, while adjourning the case to a date, which would be communicated to the parties, ordered that the defendant should be remanded in the custody of the EFCC pending the perfection of his bail conditions.

End