The trial of one Morufu Adewale (aka Gbegulerin Adelana),
Omitogun Ajayi, Ajisegiri Abiodun, Abayomi Alaka (aka Dauda Usman Alashe),
Taiwo Ahmed, Raufu Raheem, and Sanlabiu Teslim, before Justice R.A. Oshodi of
the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos for an alleged £1million
(One Million British Pounds) was on Monday, February 12, 2024 stalled due to
the absence of the fifth defendant, Taiwo Ahmed.
The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC had on February 3, 2022 arraigned Morufu, Alaka, Ajayi, and
Ajisegiri before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court sitting
in Ikeja, Lagos with the other defendants listed as being at large. However,
the trial could not be concluded before the retirement of the trial judge. This
prompted the reassignment of the case file to Justice Oshodi of the Special
Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos even as the EFCC intensified its efforts
to secure the arrest of the other suspected fraudsters.
Subsequently, all the seven defendants were in December 2022,
re-arraigned before Justice Oshodi on an amended three-count charge.
Count one reads: "Morufu Yahaya Adewale, Omitogun Ajayi,
Ajisegiri Abiodun, Abayomi Kamaldeen Alaka, Taiwo Olamilekan Ahmed, Raufu Wale
Raheem and Sanlabiu Owolabi Teslim between May and July 2018 at Lagos within
the Ikeja Judicial Division obtained the total sum of £1,000,000.00 ( One
Million Pounds Sterling) from Dr. and Dr. (Mrs) Lateef Oladimeji Bello for the
purpose of conducting prayers for spiritual cleansing of the family and that
the money will be refunded after the prayers within one week, which pretence
you knew to be false."
Count three reads: "Morufu Yahaya Adewale, Omitogun
Ajayi, Ajisegiri Abiodun, Abayomi Kamaldeen Alaka, Taiwo Olamilekan Ahmed,
Raufu Wale Raheem and Sanlabiu Owolabi Teslim between August and September 2018
at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division obtained the total sum of
N175,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Seventy-five Million Naira) only from Dr. and
Dr. (Mrs) Lateef Oladimeji Bello for the purpose of conducting spiritual
prayers for spiritual cleansing of their son and the family and that the money
will be refunded one week after the prayers which pretence you knew to be
false."
They all pleaded "not guilty" to the charges when
they were read to them, thus prompting the commencement of their trial.
At Monday’s proceeding, counsel for the EFCC, N.K. Ukoha informed
the court that his witness was in court and the prosecution was ready to
proceed with the trial.
However, the fifth defendant, Taiwo Ahmed, who was
represented in court by his counsel, Babatunde Ojehomon, was absent in court as
he was not produced by officers of the Ikoyi Maximum Correctional Centre,
Lagos.
Ukoha, had, while addressing the court, raised an alarm that
the absence of the fifth defendant was part of a well-orchestrated plan to
forestall the trial. “One of the defendants is not in court, and we got
intelligence late yesterday, that there is a grand plan to forestall today's
proceedings.
We were just told casually this morning that the defendant is
not well,” he said
He further prayed the court for a stand down, so that
"the prosecution and one of the court’s registrars could go to the prisons
to procure the fifth defendant to come for his trial".
Counsel to the third and fourth defendants, Olalekan Ojo,
SAN, however, in his response, stressed that he was not and will never be
part of any "grand plan" to forestall the trial.
“The proper procedure is to apply to the court, that whoever
is supposed to produce the absent defendant, which in this case is the prison
official, should be called to explain why the defendant was not produced,"
he said.
Counsel to the first defendant, Adebayo Adegbite; counsel to
the second defendant, Oluseun Olugbemi-Fatomigbe; Ojemohon; counsel to the
sixth defendant, A. Apanisile; and counsel to the seventh defendant, Olalekan
Idowu, all aligned themselves with the submission of Ojo.
Thereafter, the trial judge called up one of the prison
officials to shed light on the situation. Addressing the court, the official,
ASE1 Jonathan Oche, said the defendant was sick. "From the information
this morning, we were told that he was sick, and that they want to monitor his
health till tomorrow when we will produce him, that there is still a date
tomorrow," he said.
Ojemohon told the court that his client was yet to perfect
his bail conditions, and that he was aware of the health condition of his
client.
He said: "He complained to me at the last sitting of
December 1, 2023 that he was not feeling well, and pleaded with me to do
everything I can to expedite the perfection of his bail. Last Thursday, they
told me that he fell in the toilet and smashed his head on the bowl of the
toilet. "I am not even aware that he will not be brought to court today, I
would have demanded that they issue a medical report. So, I am aware that my
client is sick and is being observed in the Correctional Services clinic."
After listening to the submissions of all the parties involved in the case, Justice Oshodi adjourned till the earlier scheduled date of February 13, 2024. "I am satisfied by the reason given and I direct the Maximum Security Custodial Centre to produce the fifth defendant before this court on the earlier scheduled date," he said.
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