Justice Friday Ogazi of a Federal High Court, Lagos, has fixed the trial of a Bureau De Change (BDC) cum politician, Atoyebi Lateef Bamidele, popularly called Bam-Bam, who is being charged before the court on alleged conspiracy, obtained by false pretence and stealing of N156 million, to July 6, 2026.
Justice Ogazi fixed the trial date on Monday, when the matter came up for hearing.
Bamidele who operated with the name Prosocial International Limited, was first arraigned before the court presided over by Justice Abimbola Awogboro by the operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex Alagbon-Ikoyi Lagos, sometimes in September 2023.
In the charge, the prosecutor, Barrister S. O. Ayodele, told the court that the defendant and others now at large, between December 2022 and January 2023, obtained the total sum of N157, 206 million, with false pretence of getting the United States dollars equivalent.
Precisely, the defendant was said to have collected the money from the traders representative, Mrs. Priscillia Oyiowo through one Obinna Ozuah.
The defendant’s alleged unlawful acts, according to the prosecutor, contravened sections 8(a) and 1(1)(c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related offences Act; CAP A8 Vol 1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act
The prosecutor also told the court that offence of the stealing against the defendant contravened Section 383 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under section 390 (9) of the same Act.
However, the defendant, denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
He had denied the allegations and admitted to bail in various terms and conditions.
However, upon the transfer of Justice Awogboro to another division of the court, the defendant’s case was reassigned to Justice Ogazi to start denovo.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Monday, informed the court of paying N70 million out of the alleged sum on Monday. He therefore asked for short date.
Hence the matter was adjourned to July 6, for report of the defendant’s trial.
However, it was gathered that the defendant was yet to pay the N70 million despite promised to do so in the open court on Monday.
