N115m Fraud: Absence of Judge Stalls Trial Of Don, Others

N115m Fraud: Absence of Judge Stalls Trial Of Don, Others

For the second time this week, the absence of Justice Nathaniel Ayo -Emmanuel of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan on Thursday stalled the on going trial of former Executive Director of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training ( I. A . R & T) of the Obafemi Awolowo University ( OAU) , Ile-Ife, Prof. Benjamin Adefemi Ogunbodede, and three others accused of an alleged N115 million fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission ( EFCC ) has docked Ogunbodede, Zaccheaus Tejumola, Adenose Clement and Jalekun Omitowoju Yisua before the court on a 17- count charge of conspiracy and fraud.

According to the anti-graft agency the accused persons were arrested following a petitions written against the former I. A . R &T boss by all the staff unions of the institute and the industrial action that paralysed the research institute for over 11 months.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and were ordered by the trial judge to be remanded at the Agodi, Ibadan , prison, pending the hearing and determination of their bail application.

But the absence of Justice Ayo -Emmanuel stalled the hearing of the bail application filed by their counsel, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN).