A Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed June 28, for re-arraignment of an embattled former Governor of Ekiti, Ayodele Fayose, facing charges of N6.9billion fraud.
Fayose was arraigned on Oct. 22. 2018, before Justice Mojisola Olatotegun, alongside a company, Spotless Investment Ltd, on 11 counts bordering on fraud and money laundering offences.
He is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail on Oct. 24, 2018, in the sum of N50 million with sureties in like sum.
The prosecution had opened the trial on Nov. 19, 2018, and had so far called 13 witnesses out of the15 listed.
However, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice Adamu Abdu-kafarati had transferred the case from Olatoregun to a new judge. Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, following a petition by the EFCC seeking a transfer of the case.
A new date of June 28 has now been foxed for re-arraignment of Fayose before Aneke.
The CJ’s letter of transfer had read as follows:
“I refer to the petition of EFCC on this case and your Lordship’s comments thereto.
“It is apparent that the prosecution has lost confidence in the judge trying this case and justice must not only be done but must be seen to have been done, I hereby transfer this case to Hon. Justice C. J. Aneke for hearing,”
Recall that on March 20, a drama had ensued in court midway into the trial, between the trial judge, (Olatotegun) and EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN).
The judge had raised concerns on the manner of prosecution by counsel and had noted that the prosecutor, was not doing a good job, adding that he was not competent to evaluate the court’s ruling.
On his part, the prosecutor (Jacobs) had expressed displeasure at the rebuke from the court, on the grounds that he had always dispensed his duties diligently, and had never been so derogated by any court.