- AG Takes Over N34.25m Fraud Case Against Ibadan Woman
- Suspect absent in court due to health reasons
- Investigations revealed that suspect was allegedly a repeat offender in similar fraud-related cases
By Grateful Ogunjebe
The Oyo State Ministry of Justice has taken over the prosecution of a woman accused of swindling Sunshine International School, Ibadan, of N34.25 million.
Eko Hot Blog reports that at a recent sitting of Magistrate’s Court 2 in Iyaganku, Ibadan, a state counsel, Q.C. Abraham, informed the court of the Attorney General’s decision to lead the prosecution through the Director of Public Prosecution.
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The court, presided over by Magistrate Moruf Mudashiru, acknowledged the letter and directed that the police prosecutor hand over the original case file to the DPP.
Present at the court were the police prosecutor, CSP Justus Aladeloye, and the defence counsel, A.T. Lamidi, who stood in for Barrister S.B. Ajibola. The defendant, Ajayi Oluwabukola, was absent, with her counsel stating she was receiving medical treatment.
The magistrate adjourned the case to September 17 for further proceedings.
Ajayi was earlier arraigned on December 30, 2024, on three counts of conspiracy, false pretence, and theft totalling N34.25 million from the school.
One of the charges alleged that on September 4, 2024, Ajayi conspired with others at large to defraud the school under the pretext of providing items for an end-of-year event.
Ajayi, a parent at the school, had initially requested N200,000 from the proprietress, Princess Taiwo Williams, claiming it was for a business trip to China.
Shortly after, she offered to buy party supplies for the school from China, but after transferring the funds, the items never arrived.
Investigations later revealed that Ajayi was allegedly a repeat offender in similar fraud-related cases.
She was granted bail in December 2024 but spent time at Agodi Correctional Centre before it was perfected.
Following her release, her daughter wrote petitions to Governor Seyi Makinde and the police, accusing the school of harassment and bullying.
Officials from the Ministry of Education and the police later visited the school, and some staff were summoned for interrogation on May 8 in Osogbo.
Ajayi is also standing trial in another case filed by the EFCC in February 2024 for defrauding individuals of N58.4 million through fake supply deals.
Charges include obtaining N23.1 million from one Alhaji Yusuf Nadabo and N17.3 million from Altine Musa by falsely claiming to supply soft drinks.
Prosecutors told the court she defrauded other victims and had once jumped bail, urging the judge to deny her fresh bail due to her history.
Justice Kamorudeen Olawoyin denied her bail and ordered her remand in EFCC custody pending trial.
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