The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arraigned the CEO of Lexicon Multiconcept Media Limited, Osabohem Alex Ologbosele. He was arraigned alongside his company and one of his employee, Augustine Iyoha before Justice Akpan of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
According to the statement posted on the EFCC official X page on Thursday, they were arraigned on six-count amended charges bordering on fraud, obtaining under false pretense and money laundering to the tune of N459, 050,000 (Four Hundred and Fifty Nine Million, Fifty Thousand Naira only).
Before reading the charges to them, the prosecuting counsel, O.S Ujam, informed the court of her intention to replace the initial charge filed on the 7th of March, 2025 with the amended charge filed on the 10th of March, 2025. The court granted her request to replace the charges.
In view of the not guilty plea, Ujam asked the court for an adjournment to enable the prosecution to open its case and call witnesses. The defense counsel, Samuel Ogala also drew the attention of the court to an application for bail for the first and second defendant which was filed on March 24, 2025 and the second application for the 3rd defendant, dated March 27, 2025, urging the court in the interest of justice to grant bail on liberal terms.
However, Ujam informed the judge of a 17 paragraph affidavit in response to the counter-affidavit of the defense dated April 2, 2025 and filed same date in opposition to the application for bail, urging the court to deny the application on the ground that the defendants are flight risks, who stopped reporting to the EFCC office for months and may fail to appear for their trial if granted bail.
“My lord, the first defendant was arrested in November 2023, and he left in November 2024 and did not report back till February 5, 2025, and I believe that if granted bail, he may not appear for his trial,” she said.
Thereafter, Justice Akpan after listening to the arguments of the two counsels on bail application adjourned the matter till May 2, 2025, for ruling for bail and ordered that the defendants be remanded in Kuje prison.
