Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged Prof. Adesanya Adelekan, Macmillan Nigeria Publisher over alleged $156,700 book fraud.
Prof. Adelekan was charged to court alongside a man identified as Bola Fasasi.
However, only Fasasi was present for arraignment on Monday, June 20 before an Ikeja Special Offences Court.
Though Fasasi pleaded not guilty to the charges, Prof. Adelekan is said to be at large. They are being prosecuted by the EFCC on amended six-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretenses.
The defendant alongside Macmillan Nigerian Publishers Limited were arraigned by EFCC on an amended six-count charge bordering on obtaining goods by false pretense at their re-arraignment on Monday.
The charge partly reads;
Macmillan Nigerian Publishers, Prof. Adesanya Iyiola Adelekan (now at large) and Fasasi Bola, sometimes in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to obtain goods by false pretence, property of BHS book Printing SDN BHD of Selangor Malaysia.
Count one states that;
Macmillan Nigerian Publishers, Prof. Adesanya Iyiola Adelekan (now at large) and Fasasi Bola, sometimes in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, obtained books for sale worth $156,711.87 by false pretence from BHS book Printing SDN BHD of Selangor Malaysia.
Under the pretence that you would sell the books and remit the money from the sales within two weeks of receiving the Bill of Lading, which pretence you knew or ought to know is false.
The defendant has however denied the charges.
The EFCC prosecution counsel, Ayanfeoluwa Ogunsina prayed the court for a trial date and for the remand of the defendant at a Correctional Centre.
Further hearing in the case was adjourned till July 8, 2022.
