The former Oyo State Head of Service (HOS), Mrs Kudiral Adeleke and 11 government officials accused of defrauding the state pension fund of N5.6 billion were on Thursday sent back to Agodi Prison.

The state High Court sitting in Ibadan, while adjourning ruling on the application filed by the counsel to the accused till November 26, said they should be kept in prison custody.

At the hearing, the court was told that the former Oyo state head of service, Mrs. Kudirat Adeleke, was in the United Kingdom for a cosmetic operation when men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) came to her Ibadan residence to effect her arrest in June 2010.Mr. Gbolahan Latona, counsel to the anti-graft agency, told the state High Court in Ibadan on Thursday.

While reacting to content of an affidavit in support of a bail application in favour of the former number one state civil servant, Mr. Gbolahan Latona  said contrary to the claim by his lead counsel, Mr. Richard Ogunwole, that she was away in London to seek medical attention on an health challenge, the woman was there to carry out operation to trim down her belly.

Mr. Ogunwale, who led the team of lawyers representing the former HOS prayed the court to grant his client bail, arguing that she voluntarily surrendered herself to the EFCC after the latter had failed to get her arrested when they stormed her residence in Ibadan when she was away.

Besides, he said, Mrs. Adeleke and other accused persons had been granted bail by an Ibadan Magistrate Court, where they had been earlier arraigned.

This, according to him, was in addition to an administrative bail they enjoy after spending weeks in the EFCC custody in Lagos.

The senior lawyer said since she and other suspects didn't jump bail, there is no reason for them not to present themselves before the court for proper trial, urging the court to grant the bail not on strict terms.

Apart from few who wanted bail for their client on health ground, all the accused persons harped on the fact that the offences for which they are standing trial are bailable and that they never jumped bail when granted in the past.

But, Latona, didn't agree with their positions.

The EFCC lawyer, who addressed all the applications one by one, said the fact that a court of lower jurisdiction had granted them bail was not enough to convince the court to exercise its discretion in their favour.

He also said the commission is opposing the bail to protect the accused persons from been harmed by the aggrieved pensioners, who are affected by the alleged fraud.

Mr. Latona equally told the court that apart from the health facilities that are available in prison custody, the state government has promised to provide health care services to the accused persons if in need while the trial goes on.

The judge, after listening to arguments from all sides, adjourned to November 26 for ruling on the application.