By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka

A former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide,  and two others seeking  transfer of their trial in a criminal charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from Federal High Court Lagos to Ibadan in Oyo State have lost the bid.
The other defendants standing trial with Akinjide before Justice Muslim Hassan are Senator Ayo Ademola Adeseun and Chief Olanrewaju Otiti.

The judge dismissed their application seeking to transfer their case out of Lagos on the grounds that it lacked merit.  Consequently, their trial will continue at the Federal High Court, Lagos

The trio are standing trial on alleged fraud to the tune of N650 million levied against them by the EFCC.

Justice Hassan held that the application(s) were lacking in merit and dismissed same accordingly.

The defendants who are chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had in their application(s) argued that every ingredients of the alleged case took place in Ibadan.

They stated that they have over 65 witnesses spread across nine local government areas of their Senatorial district to testify in the matter, adding that it would cost them lot of money to bring them (witnesses) to Lagos.

But the EFCC through its counsel urged the court to dismiss the application(s) for being unmeritorious.

The Commission  posited that the defendants’ rights of being charged in a court within 40km radius of where the alleged offence was committed has been upheld with the filing of a charge against them at a Federal High Court in Ibadan.

Counsel submitted that they were also duly arraigned at a Federal High Court in Ibadan before Akinjide’s petition to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdul-Kafarati, which led to the transfer of the case to Lagos.

The anti-graft agency further contended that Section 98 (1) (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) equally restrains the Chief Judge from transferring a case in which the prosecution has already called witness.

The EFCC therefore prayed Justice Hassan to dismiss the motions and continue with the hearing of the case.

It would be recalled that the defendants were on January 16, 2018, re-arraigned by the EFCC before Justice Hassan on a 24-count amended charge of alleged fraud to the tune of N650 million

Continuation of trial within trial has been adjourned until December, 10, 17 and 18, 2018.