Osun tax collector in court over fraud

By Fisayo Akinduro
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A 28-year-old civil servant, Dayo  Omole,  has been  arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing N671,000 belonging to taxpayers in Osun state.

Omole, an ad-hoc staff of Osun State Internal Revenue Service  (OIRS) was said to have  committed the offence in April 2018, within Ijesa and Osogbo metropolis.

The prosecutor, ASP Fagboyinbo Abiodun said  the accused person stole N671, 000 belonging to the state Internal Revenue Service,  (OIRS).

The accused person,  charged with two counts of theft and breach of public peace, however, pleaded not guilty to the offence.

The offence,  according  to the prosecution, contravened  the provisions of sections 249 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. 11, Laws of Osun, 2002.

The defence counsel, Mr Oladipupo Olatunbosun, prayed the court to grant his client bail in  most liberal terms.

The Magistrate, Mrs Aishat Oloyade, granted the accused person bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two surety in like sum.

But Oloyade ordered that the sureties must be  Directors in a Ministry.

She also ordered that the surety must also reside within the court jurisdiction and must produce evidence of tax payment.

While reacting to the development, the Secretary to the OIRS Board, Mrs Oluwatosin Falomo, said that discipline should always be the watchword of all so that the end result of the government would be achievable.

Falomo said this is in line with the continuous effort of the Agency to block all leakages in order to ensure taxpayers’ money get into government’s coffers as paid.

She stressed further that the punishment was not only meant to serve as a lesson for the accused person, but also to serve as a deterrent to others who are entrusted with public property and funds.