A company, Stelmart Nigeria Limited, alongside two siblings Omolayo Mattew, and Moses Matthew have been granted bail in the sum of N50 million by Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja.
The defendants were granted a temporary reprieve in the sum of N50 million with two sureties in like sum, who must give permission for lien to be placed on their bank accounts.
They are also to show evidence of tax payment for the past three years. They were also ordered to submit their international passports to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, pending the determination of the case.
This is sequel to their arraignment in court by the EFCC for an alleged N10 million fraud charge on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, though they denied the charge.
However, the counsel for the EFCC, George Adebola prayed the court to remand them at the Nigerian Correctional Centre.
But the defence counsel, Victor Opara, SAN, informed the court of the applications for the bail of the defendants.
“The applications have been served on the prosecution,” Opara said.
The prosecution counsel confirmed the position of the defence.
Moving the bail of his clients, Opara prayed the court to admit them to bail.
The EFCC lawyer opposed the bail application, stating that the decision to grant bail is left to the discretion of the court.
“We know that at the end of the day, bail is at the discretion of the court, but bail is to ensure attendance of the defendants,” Adebola said.
The defendants are being prosecuted by the EFCC on a nine-count charge bordering on stealing contrary to Section 285(9)(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.
One of the counts reads: “Stelmart Nigeria Limited, Matthew Veronica Omolayo and Matthew Oluwafemi Moses, on or about the 1st February, 2021 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly converted to your own use, the sum of N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) property of 03 Capital Nigeria Limited.”
The defendants are to be remanded at a Correctional Centre of their choice pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions.
Justice Dada however adjourned the matter till February 14, 15, 16 and 17, 2023 for trial.
