UK fraud suspect’s disappearance lands surety in trouble

The disappearance of a UK fraud suspect, Syed Mohammed Kamran, has landed his surety, Nurudeen Ekundayo, in trouble at the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere.

The court has given the surety the option of forfeiting his bail bond or be ready to serve his term if the bail bond is unforfeitable, if he cannot produce the defendant to face his trial.

The UK man, Kamran is standing trial for an alleged N10,320,000 fraud, but the state government has confirmed that the defendant has jumped bail.

Prosecuting counsel K. Sarumi told Justice Modupe Nicol-Clay that Kamran is believed to have fled abroad.

Sarumi stated this following the failure of Kamran’s surety, Ekundayo, to produce the UK citizen for his trial.

Kamran was arraigned before the judge in 2016 on a two-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining the N10,320,000 by false pretence from a traditional ruler in Imo State, Igwe Ubochi, Chuks Ubochi.

The prosecution said the defendant committed the fraud through an elaborate diesel Local Purchase Order (LPO) scam.

But he pleaded not guilty, following which he was granted bail. But as soon after he fulfilled his bail bond, Kamran missed court dates, prompting the judge to summon Ekundayo to show cause.

Ekundayo’s counsel, Mrs O. Adeniyi, told the Justice Nicol-Clay that her client was ill and had sent his eldest son to inform the court that he was on admission at a general hospital.

But Sarumi opposed her. She said: “The defendant in the main case is a foreigner who was granted bail and ever since absconded, jumped bail. We have information that he has gone abroad.

“The surety was brought to explain the defendant’s absence. The court directed him to produce the defendant. He isn’t here; there is no letter before the court. Instead he sent his son.

‘I see it as a sign of disrespect to the court. The complainant is always here, he’s a traditional ruler and he has to travel from the East each time the matter comes up. So, I see no reason why the surety cannot be here.”

She applied for a Bench Warrant against Ekundayo, following which Adeniyi tendered a medical report from a general hospital on her client’s behalf.

Adeniyi prayed the court for an adjournment to give the surety time to recover from his ailment.

She added: “This matter escalated the surety’s blood pressure. He and the foreigner met in a club and became good friends.”

But the judge turned down her application.

In a bench ruling, Justice Nicol-Clay held: “He has three options: produce the defendant, forfeit his bail bond or be ready to serve his time. The medical report says he is hypertensive. That shouldn’t stop him from appearing.”

She adjourned till March 11, for continuation of hearing.

Kamran was arraigned by the police in 2015 before Chief Magistrate Abimbola Komolafe of an Ogba Magistrates Court, Lagos in 2015 for allegedly duping 11 Nigerians of about N120 million.

He allegedly obtained supplies of diesel but failed to pay for the products.

He pleaded not guilty.

The UK subject spent several months in Kirikiri Prison custody following his failure to meet his bail.

But soon after he met his bail bond, he allegedly absconded.