Admin l Friday, February 24, 2017
IKOYI, Lagos, Nigeria – Trial of Human Rights lawyer, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, took another dimension on Friday when the trial judge, Justice Oluremi Oguntoyibo of the Federal High Court said she is unwilling to continue with the case.
Justice Oguntoyibo said she is dropping the case for personal reason and that she would return the case file to the Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Auta, for re-assignment to a new judge.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Adegboruwa last May 12 for allegedly dealing in a seized property. The EFCC has called two out of 9 witness.
The human rights lawyer was charged under Section 32 (1) of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004. “Any person who, without due authorisation by the Commission, deals with, sells or otherwise disposes of any property or assets which is the subject of an attachment, interim order or final order, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of five years without the option of a fine.”
The commission said Adegboruwa and Jonathan Udeagbala, said to be at large, committed the alleged offence on August 13, 2013 in Lagos. The defendant allegedly conspired to lease the property at House 105, NICON Town Estate, Lekki. EFCC said the property was a “subject of interim orders of attachment made by Justice Christopher Balogun of the Lagos State High Court” on June 18, 2012.
Adegboruwa allegedly leased the property to Shelf Drilling Nigeria Limited for N61, 631,944.65, which was credited to his Zenith Bank account, with number 1010240758. Adegboruwa denied the allegation, saying there could not have been a freezing order on the property because the substantive case had been dismissed.
