DSS Arraigns Six Tax Fraudsters In Ekiti

By Emmanuel Adeoye 

A Federal Agency in Ekiti State, the State Security Service has arraigned six Tax Fraudsters in a Magistrate Court residing in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State Capital on a six count charges bordering on fraud and illegal possession of tax clearance documents among others.

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Arraigning the six offenders in the court on Wednesday morning, through a suit filed at the Magistrate Court 1, with charge number MAD/1193C/2023, and signed by the Legal Officer of the State Security Service in Ekiti State, Mr Olaolu Olayinka, the names of the six offenders are Olarewaju Adesoye, Mayowa Nelson Ajisafe, Matthew Ilesanmi Olarewaju, Olorunfemi Osho, Joseph Sunday Balogun and Ajayi Temidayo. 

Reading the six counts to the six offenders / defendants, they all pleaded not guilty. 

The court official while reading the six counts, stated in the first count charge that, one Olarewaju Adesoye defrauded one Olamide Damilola, Ayeni Racheal Funmilayo, Fakunle Olasunkanmi Olatunbosun, Ogidi Kayode Emmanuel and others yet to be identified, for committing a punishable offence under section 329 of the criminal law of Ekiti State, 2021.

The second count charge stated that, “that the six offenders did posses fake tax clearance certificates of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service, an offence punishable under section 335 of the criminal law of Ekiti State, also for 2021.

“That the same six offenders, forged the signature of one Olaniran Olatona, the Executive Chairman of Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service which is punishable under section 372 of the criminal law of Ekiti State, for 2021.

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“That the six offenders, did fraudulently used a counterfeit seal of Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service, an offence punishable under section 372 of the criminal law of Ekiti State, 2021.

“That the six offenders, did falsely paraded themselves as staffs of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service with intent to defraud and did defraud Olumide Damilola, Ayeni Racheal Funmilayo, Fakunle Olasunkanmi Olatunbosun and Ogidi Kayode Emmanuel in a sum of N1,795,000, an offence punishable under section 391 of the criminal law of Ekiti State, 2021”.

In his ruling, Magistrate Saka Afunso granted the order, that the defendants be granted a bail of N500,000 each and the provision of three sureties that would represent two defendants respectively.

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Stating out the conditions for the sureties, the Magistrate noted that, all sureties must have a reasonable source of income and must be residing in Ado-Ekiti, adding that, documents of the sureties and sureties would be held responsible incase any of the accused abscond.

The case has however been adjourned till Friday 26th of January, 2024 for further hearing.

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