An Australia-based Nigerian, Foluso Omole, has been denied bail after being accused of involvement in an alleged $5 million fraud linked to Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme, NDIS.
Omole, 38, was arrested by the Australian Federal Police at Adelaide Airport last Friday, while reportedly preparing to leave the country.
He appeared before the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday, where prosecutors alleged that he had severed his ties in Adelaide and was planning to travel to Nigeria.
The court heard that Omole, who holds both Australian and Nigerian citizenship, had purchased a one-way ticket to Nigeria before his arrest. Prosecutors also alleged that he had transferred substantial sums of money to Nigeria during the period of the alleged offences, where his wife lives.
Omole was reportedly working as an NDIS coordinator while also running two businesses that employed several workers when the alleged fraud occurred.
Prosecutors alleged that he improperly obtained information from a woman employed by the National Disability Insurance Agency over a six-year period and subsequently used the information to fraudulently obtain benefits.
The woman, who has also been charged over the alleged scheme, was expected to appear before the court on Thursday.
However, Omole’s lawyer, Mark Twiggs, disputed the prosecution’s claim that his client intended to flee Australia.
He told the court that Omole had actually planned to travel to London on a return ticket purchased before authorities raided the woman’s home.
Twiggs maintained that the allegations against his client had been denied and argued that there were sufficient grounds for him to be granted bail.
The defence lawyer also pointed out that Omole had no previous criminal record and had legitimate reasons for seeking permission to travel.
Omole has not yet entered pleas to two charges relating to alleged dealings in proceeds of crime. One charge involves proceeds of an indictable offence valued at more than $1 million, while the other concerns money or property worth more than $1 million allegedly derived from criminal activity.
Magistrate Patrick Hill, however, rejected the bail application, citing concerns that Omole could abscond.
The magistrate noted that the circumstances surrounding Omole’s proposed travel were relevant to determining whether he posed a flight risk.
Hill ultimately concluded that, irrespective of the prosecution’s other concerns, there remained sufficient grounds to regard Omole as a flight risk and ordered that he remain in custody.
The allegations against Omole are yet to be tested in court, and he remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
