17th January, 2012
The arraignment of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji and his Personal Assistant, Oyebode Alade Atoyebi before a Federal High Court in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria was stalled this morning due to the absence of the judge.
None of the courts was sitting when P.M.NEWS called today.
Failure of the court to sit may not be unconnected with the fuel subsidy removal strike that lasted six days.
His counsel, Abiodun Onidare has filed a 19-paragraph application for his bail before the court.
In the affidavit sworn to by the Chief Litigation Officer, Adedotun Olatunbosun, he warned that the charges filed against the Speaker and his aide did not make any prema facie case against the defendants.
Olatunbosun further averred that the charges are incompetent, defective, null and void.
Therefore the court should admit them on bail to ensure their liberty, pending the final disposal of the charges against them.
In the said request for bail filed before the court by Onidare, it was averred that the Speaker and his aide are on EFCC administrative bail.
Ikuforiji and Atoyebi are facing a 19-count charge of money laundering.
They were alleged to have accepted cash payment of about N518,142,493 without going through any financial institution, thereby commenting an offence contrary to Section 18a of the Money Laundering Act.
—Akin Kuponiyi