EFCC Arraigns Pastor For Defrauding Landmark University N19.3M

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Wednesday, arraigned an Ilorin-based associate pastor with the Living Faith Church also known as Winners Chapel, Temidayo Eseyin, for allegedly defrauding Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, to the tune of N19.3 million.

Eseyin, a lawyer and former member of the Disciplinary Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ilorin Branch, was docked on a four-count bordering on dishonest misappropriation of funds belonging to the University before Justice Funsho Lawal of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin.

In a petition to the EFCC, Eseyin, whilst being a counsel/attorney to Landmark University had access to her properties, title documents and funds.

In the assumed capacity, it was alleged that Eseyin was “cheating, defrauding, misappropriating and shortchanging his client to her utmost dismay”.

Specifically in one of his alleged atrocities, the defendant, between 2014 and 2022 managed a property known as “Old Midland Building” belonging to Landmark University, situated along Emir’s/Obbo Road, Ilorin, which rents Eseyin collected for 8 years and could not produce when asked.

The petitioner also alleged that Eseyin attempted to sell the property without instructions from the university, hence, the petition to the EFCC.

Count three of the charge reads, “That you, Temidayo Eseyin sometime in the year 2021, in Ilorin Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court dishonestly misappropriated the sum of Six Million, Sixty Four Thousand Naira Only (6, 064,000) representing payment of rent on property known as Old Midland Building belonging to Landmark University and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Law and Punishable under Section 309 of the same Law.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Following his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Rashidat Alao, urged the court to fix a date for trial, while praying the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre pending trial.

However, Eseyin’s lawyer, Femi Makinde, moved an application for the bail of the defendant. He prayed the court to admit his client to bail pending trial.

Justice Lawal, while ruling on the application, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N10 million with two sureties in the sum of N5 million each.

The judge ordered that the sureties must have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.

The judge, while adjourning the case to a date, which would be communicated to the parties, ordered that the defendant should be remanded in the custody of the EFCC pending the perfection of his bail conditions.

(Punch)