The court heard that Chief Godwin Obla, who had questioned the judge’s ‘unusual interest’ to determine the case in the past, after he had gotten a higher appointment had given notice of his withdrawal from the case.
In his 5 April letter to the registrar of the court, Obla said he was withdrawing because the court fixed consecutive days for the trial in the month of April, arguing that the new dates conflict with his existing judicial schedules before various courts and tribunals in Nigeria and outside the country.
Adeyemi Ikuforiji
He advised his client (EFCC) to hire the services of another counsel whose calendar can accommodate the judge’s itinerary.
In view of this development, when the case was mentioned, an EFCC legal officer, Mr. Yusuf Alli, announced his appearance for the prosecution.
Alli told the court that he was compelled to announce his appearance for the EFCC since Obla has withdrawn from the case. He said though he has not seen a copy of the letter in that circumstance, he was asking for adjournment for three weeks to enable him study the case file.
The defence team, comprising Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) leading two other senior lawyers, Abiodun Onidare and Tunde Akinrimisi, told the court it is clear that Obla has returned all the files to the commission (EFCC); that they (prosecution) are now in the hands of the judge, Justice Okechukwu Okeke handling the case and that this is a case the defendant is ready to be prosecuted, but the prosecution is running away.
Consequently, he urged the court to dismiss the case. However, Yusuf Alli opposed the application and urged the court to give them three weeks to study the case file. The presiding judge, while not acceding to the request of the defence counsel, adjourned the matter till 24 April 2013, for EFCC to engage the services of another lawyer.
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