Tunde Ayeni, a businessman and former chairman of the defunct Skye Bank Plc, has been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
Ayeni was arraigned on Monday at the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT) high court on a 17-count charge bordering on alleged money
laundering to the tune of about N8 billion.
The charges were filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC). The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
After the plea was taken, Ekele Iheanacho, counsel to the
EFCC, asked the court for a date for commencement of trial.
Iheanacho urged the court to remand the defendant in custody
pending the date of trial.
Responding, Ahmed Raji, counsel to Ayeni, told the court
that the defence filed for bail application today and served the prosecution.
Raji urged the court to grant a short adjournment for the
hearing of bail application.
The counsel said the charge sheet was served on the defense
on April 23, 2026, during the public holiday.
The counsel appealed to the court to release the defendant
to him and Olalekan Ojo, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and that he will
be available in the next adjourned date.
Jude Onwuegbuzie, the trial judge, adjourned the hearing on
the bail application to May 13.
THE ARREST
Ayeni was arrested in Abuja on April 24 by the EFCC for investigations into the alleged diversion and misappropriation of funds estimated at N36.5 billion and $30 million, said to have been obtained from Polaris Bank Plc through companies linked to him.
The loans – originally meant for financing marine security,
electricity distribution contract, estate development, were allegedly
channelled into the acquisition of telecom assets linked to NITEL/MTEL through
a NATCOM account.
The commission is also investigating about 12 companies
linked to Ayeni, which were allegedly used to obtain the loans from Polaris
Bank.
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