In a significant development, the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought Alexander Adeniran Babarinde, a businessman hailing from Oro-Ago in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin on Monday, February 5, 2024. Babarinde, along with his company, Ajays Engineering Limited, faced charges related to a contract scam, obtaining money under false pretenses, and forgery.
The accused was arraigned on eight counts, with the charges primarily revolving around the alleged procurement of funds under deceptive means. Babarinde’s purported involvement in obtaining money from the complainant under the guise of financing and executing Federal Government contracts forms the crux of the accusations.
It was alleged that Babarinde presented contract award letters from various governmental bodies, including the Ecological Fund Management Committee Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Development, and Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, among others. However, investigations by the EFCC revealed that these letters were fabricated and did not originate from the mentioned government entities.
The prosecution further asserted that the defendants had obtained a substantial sum amounting to N170 million from the petitioner under false pretenses, ostensibly to facilitate the execution of non-existent contracts.
Among the specific charges levied against Babarinde, one read: “That you, ALEXANDER ADENIRAN BABARINDE, AJAYS ENGINEERING LIMITED and SULEIMAN MOHAMMED (STILL AT LARGE), sometime between the months of January 2021 and December 2021, in Ilorin Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of N30,530,300.00 (Thirty Million, Five Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Three Hundred Naira ) from one EZEKIEL OLA BABATUNDE as fees for the funding and execution of Federal Government contracts and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act”.
Upon the reading of the charges, Babarinde pleaded not guilty. In response, counsel to the EFCC, Rasheedat Alao, requested the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service and set a trial date to allow the prosecution to present its case.
Justice Abdulgafar acceded to the request and ordered the remand of the defendant at the Correctional Service. The case was adjourned until March 13, 2024, for trial.
