Foluso Omole, a 38-year-old Nigerian based in Australia, has been charged over his involvement in a $5 million fr@ud targeting the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Omole was arrested at Adelaide Airport last Friday while attempting to leave Australia for Nigeria.
The court heard on Monday that he had purchased a one-way ticket to Nigeria before his arrest, according to ABC.
Prosecutors told the court that Omole improperly obtained information from an employee of the National Disability Insurance Agency over a six-year period and used it to fraudulently obtain NDIS benefits.
However, his lawyer, Mark Twiggs, denied the charges, saying his client had no criminal record and had “good reason why he should be given bail.”
Magistrate Patrick Hill rejected the bail application, citing concerns that Omole posed a flight risk.
“Whether it was a one-way ticket to Nigeria or a return ticket to London do make a difference as to the court’s assessment of whether or not Mr Omole is a flight risk,” Hill said.
He added that he remained concerned about the risk of flight and refused bail. Omole is expected to return to court in September.