By Kayode Adeoti
There was rowdiness at the premises of Ilorin magistrate court, last Thursday, as friends and relatives joined about 115 students who were allegedly duped to the tune of N19m in protesting the release of a suspect, Adebayo Ayobami, the Manager of Voyage Institute of Advance Studies, Adewole area of the state capital.
The victims and their relatives who were outside the courtroom while proceedings lasted, kicked against the release of Ayobami on bail after the proprietor of the school, Adekeye Michael Adeniyi fled to unknown destination.
The state high court, presided over by Justice Sikiru Oyinloye had on October 10 granted Ayobami a in suit no: KW/137M/17.
Oyinloye ruled thus: โI have taken into consideration before the court for and against the bail application and having passionately examined same, it is my decision that though one of the offences alleged against the applicant on conviction will attract imprisonment for more than three years, this court is still invested with the power and discretion to grant or refuse bail โฆ
However some of the victims and their families, who stormed the court at the resumption of hearing on Thursday, expressed their disappointment over the release of Ayobami.
“How could the state High Court grant the accused bail when the magistrate court had earlier remanded him. I think law is about appropriating it to achieve justice. We are not pleased with the development,โ parent of a victim, who does not want her name in print said.
Also, one Muhammad Sikirat who claimed to have been duped the sum of N284,000 said she fell into wrong hands through a radio programmes anchored by a prominent presenter in the state.
“We went to the school head office at Commissioner Lodge Way with others to make enquiry and we were told it was real. I paid N142 for each of my two children: Muhammad Barakat Woraola and Ajibade Kehinde. He gave us admission letter though it was later discovered to be fake.”
Another victim, Alhaja Abdulsalam Kuburat admitted to have lost N240,000.
“I approached him (the manager) with two of my kids but he said only one was picked. Anytime I called to express my worry, the manager will assure me not to worry that my daughter will make the trip to Canada. One particular day, we received a message to come to Adewole with N6,000, after paying the money, he congratulated us that our wards have secured admission, he also gave us letters to that effect.
“The manager told us to go to the immigration office to process our passports which we did, he also instructed us to get police character clearance. After we had done all these, I was asked to pay visa fee into the instituteโs union bank account. He promised us that before the end of August, our children will travel abroad.”
Kuburat further stressed that the manager of the school called one day to notify her that her daughter and others have been denied admission. She added that she met the director of the school after one failed effort who told her that he will refund 75 per cent of the money.
“He actually told us to come the following Monday to collect cheques, but the story changed when we got there. The manager told us that one of the parents had kidnapped his boss. At that point, we knew we have been scammed, so we decided to get him arrested,” she stated.
Meanwhile, the First Information Report (FIR) obtained from the court by this medium revealed that the suspect was charged to court for criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and advance fee fraud contrary to sections 97, 312, of Penal Code law and section 1(3) of advance fee fraud and other related offences act 2006.
