A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has adjourned the continuation of the trial of former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, over allegations of fraud and money laundering until December 1, 2 and 3, IgbereTV reports.
At the resumption of proceedings on Monday, the case was initially stalled while parties waited for one of the defence counsels.
When the case was eventually called at about 11:40am, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Rotimi Jacobs, told the court that having waited until almost noon, it would be better to grant an adjournment, to enable parties to come back and face the trial.
Although the first defence counsel and SAN, Ola Olanipekun, asked the EFCC to proceed with the testimony of its witness who was present in court, the case was, however, adjourned at the instance of the prosecutor’s counsel.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke asked parties to take new dates within the year, especially as no progress had been made in the matter since it resumed before him.
Following the agreement of the parties, the case was adjourned for continuation of trial.
Fayose is being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency over an alleged N2.2bn fraud and money laundering charge.
He was first arraigned on October 22, 2018, before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, alongside his company, Spotless Investment Limited on 11 counts.
He had pleaded not guilty and was granted bail on October 24, 2018, in the sum of N50 million with sureties in like sum.
The defendant was subsequently re-arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke on July 2, 2019, after the case was withdrawn from Justice Olatoregun, following a petition by the EFCC alleging bias on her part.
He had also pleaded not guilty to the charge and was allowed to continue to enjoy the earlier bail granted.
The commission has since opened its case before Justice Aneke and has started taking witnesses in evidence.
