FORMER President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Chief J.K. Randle, was on Thursday remanded in Ikoyi Prisons by an Igboshere/Tapa Magistrates Court.
Chief Randle was arraigned at the court over allegation of N300 million fraud against one Kayode Sunmola, his business associate at J.K. Randle and Co., a firm of chartered accountants.
A five-count charge was preferred against the former ICAN president. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The case, which was investigated by the Police Special Fraud Unit, was heard by Chief Magistrate Paul A. Ojo.
The first count read, �that you, J.K. Randle International Limited,; Bashorun J.K Randle and Folashade Abimbola, on or about the 5th day of May 2006 at Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial district, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: false statement and officials of companies, forgery, altering and stealing and you have thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap 17, vol 11 law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.
The second count stated that Randle and his wife on same date, month and year did forge a document entitled �letter of appointment� which was addressed to the Executive Chairman, Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue with intent that it might be acted upon as genuine, to the prejudice of the complainant Mr. Kayode Sunmola and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 467 of the criminal Code Cap. 17, vol 11, laws of Lagos State 2003.
According to count three, the accused also fraudulently altered one document entitled �letter of appointment� on the same date, month and year (May 5, 2006) to the state�s executive chairman, board of companies, with an intent that it might be acted upon as genuine to the prejudice of Kayode Sunmola and J. K. Randle and Company and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 468 of the Criminal Code Cap C17, Vol. 11, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.
Count 4, �That you, Bashroun J.K. Randle �M� and Folashade Abimbola .F. on or about the 5th day of May 2006 at Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, as officials of J. K Randle & Company Limited, with intent to defraud Kayode Sunmola, one of the Directors in J. K. Randle & Co. made a written statement contained in a document entitled �Letter of Appointment� to the Executive Chairman, Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue, knowing same to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 436 (a) of the Criminal Code Cap. C17, Vol 11, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.
Count 5: �That you, Bashorun J. K. Randle �M� and Folashade Abimbola .�F�. on or about the 5th day of May 2006, at Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District , did steal the sum of N300 million( Three Hundred Million Naira) property of one Kayode Sunmola and J.K Randle and Company and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 390 (7) (9) of the criminal Code Cap. C17,; Vol.� 11, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.
The accused pleaded not guilty to all the charges, as did his wife and J. K. Randle International. His counsel, Mr. Tony Amokeodo, described the offences for which his client was charged as bailable and a mere business disagreement between the couple and the complainant, and asked the court to grant him bail on self recognisance.
But the Magistrate, Mr. Ojo, admitted him to bail in the sum of N100,000 and a surety who must be a civil servant on at least Level 13 and adjourned the case till February 6.
However, Randle could not meet the bail conditions as at 5.30 p.m. on Thursday and was ordered to be remanded at Ikoyi Prisons, Lagos.