N4.7bn fraud: Court adjourns for ruling on petitions against former Oyo Governor, Ladoja

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday adjourned till tomorrow to rule on whether or not to admit a petition tendered by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in a N4.7 billion case against the former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Rashidi Ladoja and his former aide, Waheed Akanbi. The trial judge, Justice […]

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday adjourned till tomorrow to rule on whether or not to admit a petition tendered by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in a N4.7 billion case against the former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Rashidi Ladoja and his former aide, Waheed Akanbi.

The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned for ruling after lawyers representing the two defendants, Bolaji Onilenla and Adeyinka Olumide raised objections on the petition.

While urging the court to reject the petition, Ladoja’s lawyer said the prosecution failed to comply with the Section 371 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) which makes it mandatory and fundamental for the prosecution to furnish the defence with all documents it intend to tender in the case.

He also stated that the petition is not listed in the prove of evidence and urged the court to reject the document.

In the same vain, lawyer to the second accused person, Olumide, who equally urged the court to reject the petition, said the prosecution is not ready to prosecute its case.

Responding, the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Keyamo, said Section 371 of ACJA is not applicable to the Federal High Court.

He said the court has summary jurisdiction to admit any documents despite not listed in the Prove-of-Evidence, as there is no mandatory provision of the law to such.

Keyamo stated that the prosecution has stated in its Prove-of-Evidence, that it shall rely on ‘all relevant documents’.

At the resumed hearing of the matter, EFCC’s prosecutor, Festus Keyamo, had tendered the petition through his witness, Mr. Abdullahi Lawal who is an operative of the anti-graft commission.

The Operative had informed the court that the Commission sometimes in July 2007 received a petition from the office of Secretary to the Oyo State Government (SSG), in which the names of the two accused persons were mentioned.

However, the prosecution lawyer’s plea that the court should admit the petition as exhibit in the criminal trial was strongly opposed by lawyers representing the accused persons.

The presiding judge, Justice Idris, adjourned till tomorrow to rule on the admissibility of petition, and continuation of trial.