There was drama at the Federal High Court, Ibadan as two of the three counsels to a former Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Olajumoke Akinjide; and Olanrewaju Otiti walked out of court after Justice Joyce Abdulmaleek ordered the remand the duo in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged N650m fraud.
Abdulmaleek adjourned the case till July 6 to hear their bail application.
Messrs Bolaji Ayorinde, Michael Lana and Adeniyi Isola, all defence counsels, had argued that no charge had ever been read to their clients before, adding that there was therefore no cause for any amendment.
The defence counsels also submitted that it was an irregularity on the part of the prosecution to be amending charges that were not known to be existing.
The judge, however, overruled them, directing that the charge sheet be read to them.
Prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, had at the resumed hearing of the matter, nformed the court that the commission had amended the charges against the accused persons and prayed that the amended charges be read.
But the defence counsel objected to the amendments and reading of any charge to their clients.
The two accused persons present in court — Akinjide and Otiti – pleaded not guilty to the 12-count charge.
There was a stir, however, as Ayorinde and Lana, in separate submissions, told the court that they were withdrawing further appearance in the case, claiming the court had not been fair to their clients.
The two defence counsels subsequently walked out of the court.
NAN reports that Akinjide, however, had begun moves to explore plea bargain arrangement with EFCC.
Oyedepo, who confirmed the move during the court’s proceeding, said the process was still ongoing. (NAN).
