The move by a former Minister of State of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Olajumoke Akinjide to transfer her alleged fraud case of N650m levelled against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was yesterday, denied by Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Justice Muslim Hassan dismissed the application of Olajumoke Akinjide who was seeking a transfer for her alleged N650m(Six Hundred and Fifty Million Naira) to Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to a report by EFCC, Akinjide alongside Senator Ayo Adeseun and a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stalwart, Chief Olanrewaju Otiti, are facing trial over an amended 24-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N650m.
At the last adjourned sitting, counsel to the second defendant, Michael F. Lana, as well as counsel to the third defendant, Akiola Oladeji, had brought applications before the court seeking to transfer the case to Ibadan, Oyo State.
In his application, counsel to the second defendant urged the court to transfer the matter to Ibadan, Oyo State, where he said the alleged offences were committed. However, in his response, the prosecution counsel, Nnemeka Omewa, had pleaded with the court to refuse the application. .
The prosecution counsel, who argued that the court had jurisdiction to hear the case, had further stated that the second defendant did not contest the application filed by the first defendant.
In his application, counsel to the third defendant had told the court that he intended to call 65 local party leaders, chairmen and other officials in six local governments as witnesses, adding that it would be difficult to bring them all to Lagos to give evidence.
However, in his response, the prosecution counsel had told the court that Section 98(1)(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 states that the Chief Judge shall transfer a matter, if the prosecution has not called any witness.
Omewa, who said two witnesses had been called in this matter, further informed the court that when the third defendant took her plea before the court, there was no application for transfer of the case in the court’s records.
source: EFCC