Court warns counsel against delaying trial against Fayose’s associate

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday told Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), counsel to Abiodun Agbele, an aide to Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose to avoid any act capable of delaying Abele’s corruption trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Agbele is standing trial alongside a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro (who was arraigned in absentia), Sylvan Mcnamara Limited, A. O. Adewale, Tunde Oshinowo and Olalekan Ogunseye on 11-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N1.2 billion.

The money was said to be part of N4.7billion allegedly transferred from the imprest account of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to the bank account of Sylvan McNamara, a company allegedly owned by the sons of Obanikoro.

At the last sitting, May 24, 2017 the court ordered Ozekhome, who through an oral application, indicated his intention to withdraw appearance for the second defendant, Sylvan McNamara, to file and serve an application of notice of withdrawal within three days and endorse a copy to all the parties in the proceeding.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, Ozekhome was absent in court but was represented by a counsel, Godwin Iyinbor, who informed the court that they were yet to serve the process “because of difficulties”.

Responding, counsel to the EFCC, Wahab Shittu, kicked saying, “this is a calculated attempt by the learned silk to frustrate the trial process and it should be discouraged”.

Describing the development as “unhealthy”, Shittu told the court that the EFCC had been bringing its witnesses to court at great cost.

The matter could still not proceed as Olalekan Ojo, counsel to the third defendant, had written to the court that he would be attending an interview for the award of Senior Advocate of Nigeria slated for Monday and Tuesday at the Supreme Court and sought for an adjournment.

The court granted Ojo’s application and adjourned the matter till October 12 and 13, 2017.