Appeal court vacates arrest warrant against Kwara ex-finance commissioner

The Federal Appeal Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara state, on Monday vacated the bench warrant issued for the arrest of the state’s former Commissioner for Finance, Demola Banu.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier been granted the bench warrant against Banu on the allegation that the second defendant (Banu) failed to appear.

At the commencement of the hearing between the anti-graft agency and the state’s former governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed (first defendant), and his commissioner, the judge, Evelyn Nmasinulo, granted the request sought by the lead counsel to Banu, Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), on the grounds that the defendant was present at the yesterday’s hearing.

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According to the proceedings, the defendants were charged with 11 counts bordering on financial impropriety while in office. They pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The second defendant’s counsel, however, sought bail for his client, which was later granted at N5 million and required two sureties under the same conditions.

He also pleaded for an adjournment to enable him to file some documents that would aid the proper defense of his client.

Justice Evelyn Nmasinulo later adjourned further sitting to June 25 and 26.

Speaking with journalists, the lead legal counsel to Banu, Barrister Oyewole, said, “We were able to vacate the bench warrant issued for the arrest of our client because it was wrongly issued, and we secured an adjournment to June 25 and 26 with N5 million bail granted and two sureties in the same sum.”