Justice Mojisola Dada of an Ikeja Special Offences Court on Tuesday discharged and acquitted a surety, Taofeek Olalekan,
a senior civil servant, of giving false information to a public officer.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Olalekan had stood surety to a friend of his son called ‘Uzoamaka’ who was wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for unspecified financial crimes.
Uzoamaka, however, had been at large and Olalekan was unable to produce him before the authorities.
Dada, in her judgment, said Olalekan was still duty bound to produce Uzoamaka to the anti-graft commission.
“The statement made on Dec. 20, 2017 and admitted as Exhibit `C’ stated that the principal suspect was introduced to him by one Barrister Ayeni.
“The second information was declared by the defendant to be false but the question is, Can it be sustained under Section 96 (a and b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011? The answer is No.
“There is no evidence that the officer did what he ought not to do due to the statement of the defendant as stated in subsection (a).
“There is no evidence that the officer caused any harm to a third party due to the statement of the defendant as stipulated in subsection (b).
“I find myself unable to convict the defendant and the burden of surety has not been lifted from him and is still under oath to produce the principal suspect, he is hereby discharged of the offence,” Dada ruled.
The EFCC said the civil servant had stood surety for Uzoamaka personally and assured the anti-graft commission of his ability to produce him when needed.
NAN reports that while testifying during his trial, Olalekan denied giving false information to an EFCC official.
He claimed he gave the statement out of fear and anxiety to go back and take care of his underage children who recently lost their mother.
He said that he was told by the EFCC official that he would be released if he said he did not know the suspect.
“I have seen the charge against him (Uzoamaka), I know him and stood as surety, the information I gave was not deliberately false.
“I was at the bank to ask why my account was blocked and the manager asked me to produce some documents including my work
identity card.
“While waiting at the bank two hours later, officials of the EFCC came, saying I was under arrest, I pleaded that I needed to go home to look after my kids aged 12 and 15 because their mom just died recently.
“I thought they would ask me to go look for the boy as I had forgotten about him since I bailed him in 2014.
“They (EFCC officials) said I was on the run and I said it’s impossible as a civil servant, they didn’t let me go to look for the boy,” Olalekan said.
He added: “The statement I made was out of serious fear for my children because badoo just struck at Ibeshe Ikorodu where I stay.
“I thought they would let me go after giving the statement.”
Throwing some light on his relationship with the fugitive, the civil servant said:“ Uzoamaka is like a son to me.
“He was 22 and a banking and finance student at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, when I bailed him out of compassion in 2014 because he was a close friend of my son.
“I did not make a false statement to the EFCC about his whereabouts and I sincerely do not know where the boy is currently.” (NAN)