N8BN FRAUD:ACCUSED CBN LOOTER CRY LIKE BABY IN COURT

One of the bankers standing trial for alleged fraudulent activities totalling N8 billion broke down in tears, yesterday, as her three children came into the courtroom of the Federal High Court to greet her.
The suspect, who had been in detention at Agodi Prisons, Ibadan, since the case instituted against them by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, began last week, cried repeatedly even after the children had left.
All the eight suspects in the first batch were led into the court in handcuffs, some minutes before 9a.m., except the woman among them. As soon as they sat down, the handcuffs were removed before the commencement of proceedings.
This came just as relatives of the suspects became hostile to journalists, especially photojournalists who tried to take photographs as they were about boarding a rickety prison bus back to the prisons.
Among the relatives was a physically-challenged woman on a wheel chair, who kept praying for one Deji, one of the suspects, that the ‘good’ he had done and scores of people he had shown kindness would see him through the case.
Another fair-complexioned woman wept uncontrollably, raining curses on those who let the cat of the bag, saying “Deji, God would consider all your good gestures and help you out.
“The ancestors of all of us you have shown kindness in various ways would make you go scot free.”
Also, a man who followed them, kept asking why should journalists give such attention to the case when there are several people in other sectors stealing billions without attracting any attention or publicity?
After the charges were read to the suspects last week, the case was adjourned till yesterday, when applications for bail were supposed to be heard.
At the sitting of the court yesterday, which was presided over by Justice Adeyinka Faaji of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, proceedings were stalled due to processes that had not been served on some of the counsel.
Two cases were heard in batches regarding the fraud.
The defendants/applicants, who applied for bail in the first batch, include Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Muniru Adeola, Toogun Kayode Phillip, all staff of Central Bank of Nigeria.
Others are Isiaq Akano, Ayodele Adeyemi, Oyebamiji Akeem, Ayodeji Alase and Ajiwe Adegoke.