Money Laundering: Ikuforiji’s Trial Stalled

The trial of the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Sabit Adeyemi Ikuforiji and his aide, Alade Atoyebi, was this morning stalled due to the absence of the prosecutor, Chief Godwin Obla.

The Speaker and his aide are standing trial for transacting business by spending N518 million without going through a financial institution.

Obla, prosecuting for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, wrote a letter to the Federal High Court, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, this morning that he could not attend because of other state official assignments. He therefore asked for an adjournment. Defence counsel, Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, leading two others, Abiodun Onidare and Tunde Akinrimisi did not oppose the application for adjournment.

The presiding judge, Justice Okechukwu Okeke, while acceding to the request of the prosecutor adjourned till 20 November, 2012.

—Akin Kuponiyi & Omotoke Fabiyi