Alleged Misuse Of Funds: Court Vacates Bench Warrant Issued For Ademola Banu’s Arrest, Grants Him Bail…Case Adjourned Until June 25
Former governor of Kwara state , Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed and former Commissioner for Finance, Hon Ademola Banu’s fraud trial continued on Monday at the Federal High Court, Ilorin, Kwara state.
Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) , had filed charges against the former governor and Hon Ademola Banu , who served as Commissioner for Finance during his administration, over offences bordering on alleged money laundering.
Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, who was arraigned on February 23, 2024, had however pleaded not guilty to the charges contained in the charging document.
Justice Evelyn Ayandike , who presided over the court session, later set the former governor’s bail at N50million and 2 sureties in like sum.
The case was subsequently adjourned until April 29 and 30th for commencement of trial.
Following the second defendant’s absence in court in February, counsel for the EFCC , Mr Rotimi Jacob had demanded that a bench warrant should be issued for his arrest which the court had subsequently granted.
As the case continued on Monday, April 29, 2024, the second defendant, Hon Ademola Banu was however present in court ditto his counsel, Mr. Gboyega Oyewole, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
The former Finance commissioner has also pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Justice Evelyn Ayandike , who presided over the court session on Monday, April 29, 2024, not only vacated the bench warrant earlier issued for Banu’s arrest but also granted him bail.
She set Banu’s bail at N5million with 2 sureties in like sum.
The judge has also adjourned the case until June 25, 2024 for commencement of trial.
Counsel for the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, later told reporters including Team@orientactualmags.com that the ‘commencement of trial’ could not begin on Monday as planned because the second defendant had just been served .
‘You know that the first time that we came here, it was only the first defendant that was arraigned, the second defendant, who is the former Commissioner for Finance was not around and the court issued a bench warrant for his arrest but his lawyer contacted us that he was not available that he traveled out of the country so he came back and he reported by himself his plea was taken and because he had just been served so, the matter was adjourned until June 25’ he said.
Counsel for the former governor , Mr Kamaldeen Ajibade SAN , however complained that the anti-graft agency has failed to include statements and other details they had gotten when Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed was earlier invited for questioning by the EFCC agents at their headquarters in Abuja submitting that making the documents in question available to the legal team would ease things for them.
‘Today is meant for the hearing of the matter itself but the second defendant appeared in the court today and bail application was taken, and we equally filed application concerning former governor Abdulfatah Ahmed asking the EFCC to provide us with facility. I mean the statements and other things that were made in Abuja before now which the EFCC has refused to attach to what they have brought before the court.
This will give us the opportunity to properly defend the first defendant I mean the former governor of Kwara state’ he said.
‘What we did today is to have the bench warrant issued for the arrest of the second defendant vacated because he had at no point in time tried to elude the court. It was a wrong impression. So ,having appeared in court, we had the bench warrant vacated justifiably and then we were able to get the court to grant him bail’ Counsel for Hon Ademola Banu , Mr Gboyega Oyewole SAN also submitted-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
