Imported User:
A Lagos High Court sitting at Ikeja yesterday rejected the application for adjournment tendered by a senior lawyer in the defence team of Dr Erastus Akingbola, former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank Plc. and Mr. Bayo Dada who are currently being tried for corruption.
The absence of the two leading defence counsels, Chief Felix Fagboungbe, and Deji Sasegbon, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria, actually stalled the hearing of the matter which is before Justice Habeeb Abiru.
At the resumed hearing of the matter, Mr.Abubakar Shamsudeen who is representing the defence counsel, said that Deji Sasegbon SAN was absent due to some health issues.
He also prayed that the court vacates the earlier dates that had been scheduled for the matter and take some other close dates.
Objecting to the application, the prosecuting counsel, Godwin Obla, SAN, said there was no medical report to prove he had medical challenges and prayed the court to refuse the application as the dates were taken with the defence counsels’ concurrence.
Reacting to the application, Justice Abiru held that the argument of the defence counsel showed high irresponsibility of the lawyers in the defence team.
He said the counsels had suggested the six days though he had asked them to pick a date in September 2012.
Akingbola is standing trial alongside his associate, Mr. Bayo Dada before Justice Habeeb Abiru of an Ikeja High Court, in a suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly stealing the bank’s money to the tune of N47.1 billion.
The matter continues on Wednesday.
