Four employees of a Lagos-based hotel have been remanded in a correctional facility after being arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged fraud and theft involving more than N95 million.
The suspects — Adetunji Mathew, Victor Damilare Olaomo, Douglas Agorom Ikwugwu and Arowolo Adeniyi Abiodun — were arraigned by the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 before different judges of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja on separate five-count charges bordering on conspiracy, stealing and retention of proceeds of crime.
Mathew and Olaomo were brought before Justice O. A. Okunuga on charges of conspiracy and stealing allegedly amounting to N91,749,230.
According to the anti-graft agency, the offences violate Sections 409 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
In a separate proceeding, Ikwugwu and Abiodun were arraigned before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja on charges related to conspiracy, stealing and retention of criminal proceeds.
The EFCC alleged that Mathew, who served as the accountant of God’s Touch Apartment and Hotels, dishonestly converted N64,764,830 belonging to the hotel for personal use between 2024 and 2025.
Olaomo, also an accountant at the hotel, was accused of diverting N26,082,400 belonging to the establishment within the same period.
In another charge, the commission alleged that Ikwugwu, the hotel’s duty manager, stole N1,966,000 from the business in June 2025.
Similarly, Abiodun, said to be the hotel’s auditor, was accused of converting N1,500,000 belonging to the hotel to his personal use during the same month.
All four defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them in court.
Following their pleas, prosecuting counsel B. M. Isah and U. S. Kyari asked the court to set dates for trial and order that the defendants be remanded in custody pending the commencement of proceedings.
Isah also informed the court that the prosecution had received a bail application filed by Mathew.
Counsel to the first defendant, I. A. Salau, urged the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms while not opposing the request for trial dates.
Justice Okunuga subsequently ordered that Mathew and Olaomo be remanded in a correctional facility and adjourned the case until March 17, 2026, to hear Mathew’s bail application.
In the related case, Justice Abike-Fadipe adjourned proceedings involving Ikwugwu and Abiodun until March 16, 2026, for the hearing of their bail applications, while the trial is scheduled to begin on May 20, 2026.
