By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a businessman, Alexander Adeniran Babarinde, for alleged involvement in contract scam, obtaining money under false pretence and forgery.

Babarinde was arraigned by the EFCC, alongside his company, Ajays Engineering Limited and one Suleiman Muhammed, (who is currently at large) before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin on an eight-count-charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretences. .

The defendants allegedly obtained several amounts of money from the complainant under the guise of funding and executing some Federal Government contracts.

The petitioner alleged that Babarinde brought some contract awards letters from Ecological Fund Management Committee Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Development, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina Universal Basic Education Commission, National Research Institute for Chemical Technology. But, findings by the EFCC revealed that the letters were forged and never emanated from the said government agencies.

It was gathered that the defendants had obtained money to the tune of N170m from the petitioner as capital to execute the non-existent contracts. All attempts to recover the money had reportedly proved abortive.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him

Following his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Rasheedat Alao urged the court to remand the defendant (Babarinde) in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service and give a date for trial to enable the prosecution to prove its case.

Justice Abdulgafar ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Correctional Service and adjourned the case till March 13, 2024 for trial.