Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday granted leave to a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide, who is standing trial before him over an alleged N650 million fraud, to travel overseas to attend her daughter’s wedding.
Akinjide was arraigned before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside former Senator representing Oyo Central Senatorial District, Ayo Ademola Adeseun and a politician, Chief Olanrewaju Otiti, on a 24-count charge of conspiracy and fraud.
The accused persons were all accused of conspiring to directly take possession of N650million, which they reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act.
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According to the EFCC, they allegedly received the money from Mrs Alison-Madueke in the build- up to the 2015 general election.
The money was said to be part of a larger sum of $115 million allegedly doled out by Mrs. Alison-Madueke to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.
However, they all pleaded not guilty to the charge. At the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday, Mrs Akinjide’s lawyer, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) moved the application, seeking leave for his client to travel overseas to attend her daughter’s wedding in the Uinted Kingdom.
Ayorinde prayed the court to exercise favourable discretion in granting the application, which had been narrowed down in favour of the applicant. The prosecutor did not oppose the application, but left same at the court’s discretion.
Justice Hassan held in his ruling, “I am of the view that the interest of justice will be better served if this application is granted, and it is hereby granted as prayed.”
Counsel to Adeseun and Otiti, also brought an application before the court, asking the Judge to recuse himself from the trial on the grounds that he was a former employee of the EFCC, and would, therefore, be biased.
The application was opposed to by the EFCC counsel, Nnaemeka Omenwa who described it as “vexatious and frivolous.”
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Consequently, Justice Hassan fixed March 6, to rule on the application.
