The hearing of a fraud case filed against the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, and three others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was again stalled on Tuesday.
The case has been adjourned until January 21 and 22, 2024, as the presiding judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, of the Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, was said to be on leave.
DAILY POST recalls that this will be the fourth time the case has been stalled for different reasons.
On November 21, 2022, pre-election matters made it impossible for the court to commence hearing the case.
In January 2023, the matter could not be heard because the judge was, reportedly, indisposed.
Likewise, on March 29, the case stalled when Justice Justice Abdulmalik was posted out of Ogun State for post-election tribunal duties.
On Tuesday, the case was adjourned again on the ground that the judge had gone on leave after her return from election tribunal duties.
DAILY POST recalls that EFCC had arrested Oluomo and two other principal officers of the assembly for allegedly diverting about N2.5 billion.
The anti-graft agency had filed an 11-count charge bordering on forgery, conspiracy, and stealing from the state treasury against the Speaker and others.
The prime witness, Dare Kadiri, fled Nigeria over alleged threats.
When contacted, Kadiri, a former Deputy Speaker of the Ogun Assembly, confirmed to DAILY POST correspondent that he had fled the country over an alleged threat to his life and that of his family members.
His words: “My lawyers were in court today. They briefed me that the case has been adjourned to January. That is okay; January is just around the corner. As the prime suspect in this case of forgery and fraud, I have written my statement to the EFCC and I am currently not in the country because of the threat to my life and that of my family.
“I have reported this case to the police and other relevant security agencies, but when they were not giving me protection, I had to protect myself, and that is why I left my business, house, and all in Nigeria to secure my life.
“I had to rush my family out of Nigeria overnight because unknown people kept threatening me, trying to stop me from coming to court and when it got to the point where I felt my life was more important, I had to leave. I didn’t seek any asylum; I only left to protect myself.”
Again, judge’s absence stalls Ogun Speaker’s fraud case
