Alfred Lahiri
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday arraigned the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Mr Bamidele Oloyelogun, before the state High Court, Akure, over alleged fraudulent practices.
Oloyelogun was arraigned alongside the lawmaker representing the Akoko South-West Constituency 2, Mr Felemu Bankole, and a staff of the Assembly, Mr Segun Bankole.
The court had at the last hearing of the case, dismissed the preliminary objection filed by the defendants to prevent them from being tried as they claimed that the EFCC, had no power to prosecute them as the assets they were facing trial for belonged to the state.
However, the court held that the anti-graft commission had the power to investigate and prosecute the defendants for the alleged fraud.
The defendants were arraigned before the court on two counts bothering on fraud, but they pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At the resumed trial on Tuesday, the counsel to the EFCC, Kingsley Kudus, prayed the court to remand the defendants in prison custody.
He stressed that the defendants were still in the custody of the court, while the trial continued, even though they had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
But counsel for the defendants, Femi Emodamori, asked the court to strike out EFCC’s prayer for remand, but reminded the court that the administrative bail application on the defendants was still active.
He also pleaded that the second defendant (the Speaker) had health challenges and needed urgent medical attention.
Emodamori also asked the court to caution the nominal complainant (the former Deputy Speaker, Iroju Ogundeji) in the case for allegedly sending messages to the Speaker in an attempt to annoy him, warning that if Ogundeji failed to desist from such action, he would take a legal action against him.
He declared that Ogundeji’s action towards his client was against the law.
Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye, in his ruling, asked the defendants to continue enjoying their administrative bail till the next hearing and he adjourned the case till May 18, 2023, for proper hearing.
