9th February, 2012
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, Thursday adjourned till 2 April this year to decide whether the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, prosecuting counsel, Emma Obla, will be able to amend the criminal charge of money laundering preferred against the embattled former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank, Dr. Erastus Akingbola.
When the matter was mentioned this morning, the leading defence counsel, Chief Felix Fagbohungbe, SAN, leading two other senior advocates, told the court that they had raised objection against the amended charge earlier filed in the criminal charge.
But instead of the EFCC prosecuting counsel filing his response to the said objection, he went ahead to file another amended charge.
Consequently, the defence counsel contended that before the new amended charge can be considered, the court has to decide the issue of the objection raised in the former amended charge.
The presiding judge, Justice Charles Archibong, adjourned till 2 April 2012 to deliver his ruling.
Former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank, Akingbola is standing trial before a Federal High Court in Lagos and a Lagos High Court in Ikeja for offences bordering on money laundering to the tune of N5 billion and granting of unauthorised loans running into billions of naira while he was the chief executive officer of the now distressed bank.
—Akin Kuponiyi