First Nation Airways has disputed all the charges of fraud and stealing preferred by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the airline and its Managing Director, Mr. Mr. Kayode Odukoya.
It would be recalled that on March 16, 2018, Justice Mojisola Dada of the Ikeja Special Offences Court ordered that Odukoya be remanded for alleged theft of N1.7 billion.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Kayode Odukoya, on or about the 21st day of March, 2013 in Lagos within the Lagos Judicial Division knowingly forged the Memorandum of Loss of Lagos State Certificate of Occupancy Registered as No. 33 at page 33 in Volume 1011 at the Lagos State Registry, Alausa, Ikeja in respect of property being and situated at No. 29 Oduduwa Street, Ikeja GRA Lagos State with intent that the document may in any way be used or acted on as genuine to the prejudice of another.”
Another reads: “That you, Kayode Odukoya, First Nation Airways Limited and Bellview Airlines Limited, on or about the 7th day of October, 2016 in Lagos within the Lagos Judicial Division dishonestly converted for your own use the sum of N1, 742, 994, 962.04…property of Skye Bank Plc.”
The judge gave the remand order when the accused was arraigned on a four-count charge of forgery, use of false document, perjury and stealing pressed against him by the EFCC.
Odukoya who was granted bail in the sum of N10 million on March 26, 2018 is joined as co-defendants in the suit by FirstNation Airways and the defunct Bellview Airlines operated by the first defendant.
But in a statement issued in Lagos and signed by one Mr. Ademola Daniel, the airline said the charges are based on what it describes as “false and dubious” petition filed by Skyebank Plc.
“The charges are bogus and without basis and targeted to impugn our integrity and we will vigorously defend ourselves in court.
“As the matter is sub-judice we are unable to discuss any further details but we wish to clarify and correct, malicious misrepresentations made against us to the media. Although the charge was filed as far back as December 11th 2017, the EFCC did not inform either Mr. Odukoya or First Nation of its existence even though FirstNation and Mr. Odukoya in good faith continued to visit EFCC offices on December 16th 2017, February 6 and March 13, 2018.
“At the same time, the wrong impression was being created in Court, that Mr. Odukoya was avoiding arraignment. FirstNation only learnt of the charges through social media on March 9 2018.
