Eberechi Obinagwam
There was a mild drama in the court today, May 22, when the immediate past chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja branch, Adesina Ogunlana collapsed in the dock, after taking his plea in a criminal trial.
The former chairman collapsed when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel asked the court to remand him in prison.
Though his state of health is not known to the court, he was offered a seat while the prosecution counsel and the defence counsel argued his bail condition.
Ogunlana, Publisher of Squib magazine, a popular law magazine, was arraigned by EFCC for alleged stealing and money laundering.
He was arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada of Special Offences Court, Ikeja alongside his predecessor, Yinka Farounbi, and immediate past treasurer of the association, Aderinol Kappo.
According to the charge, the three defendants collectively allegedly stole a total sum of N20,005, 000 (Twenty million, five thousand naira) belonging to the association.
They were alleged to have, between 2016 to 2018, committed the offence by converting to personal use, the said amount into Ogunlana’ s First bank account through the issuance of cheque ‘ without authorisation’.
The prosecution informed the court that the offences are contrary to Sections 278(1) (b) and 285(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, No, 11,2011, Conspiracy to commit felony to wit. Stealing contrary to Section 409 and 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State No. 11. Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.
Following their not guilty plea, the prosecution counsel led by Samuel Daji urged the court to remand the defendants in prison custody pending the court’s ruling on their bail application.
Daji said: “We urge the honourable court to grant us accelerated hearing in this matter and also to remand the defendants in the prison custody.
“My lord, the defendants 1st and 3rd defendants are a flight risk, they jumped the administrative bail granted them by the EFCC and the 3rd defendant even gave us the address of the house she has left two-years ago and the landlord is also looking for her. They were supposed to be reporting at the EFCC office every Friday but they didn’t comply.
“These defendants have also been threatening our witnesses as well as Operatives of the EFCC by agents of the 1st defendant.
“My lord, Justice is also not for the rich alone, I urged the court to remand the defendants accordingly, after all, governors are being kept in prison custody,” he said.
The defence counsel, Mr Akin Olatunde, however, urged the court to grant the defendants bail on liberal terms.
“We literally fought the prosecution to prosecute this matter and they have been coming to court since Monday.
“The court is at discretion to admit the defendants to bail after their arraignment. The essence of bail is for defendants to be present in court. They are responsible personalities who are ready to come for the trial anytime as demonstrated in their coming since Monday,” Olatunji said.
Upon listening to both parties, Justice Dada granted bail to the defendants on liberal terms.
The judge said: “I have considered the case of the matter and considering the fact that the defendants are ex-officials of the Nigerian Bar Association, the court will be granting them a temporary bail.
“They are however ordered to submit their international passports to the court registrar pending the determination of Their bail condition,” she said.
She thereafter adjourned the matter to June 3, 2019, for the opening of the prosecution case.