Admin l Tuesday, April 04, 2017
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja today revoked bench warrant issued against witnesses in the trial of former Managing Director of FinBank, Mr. Okey Nwosu over N10.9 billion fraud.
Justice Lateefa Okunnu revoked the bench warrant when prosecuting counsel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), informed the court that the witnesses were around at the last adjourned date but that they came late.
“My Lord, I discovered that the Director of Legal sent a representative from Abuja to court on that day to bring the documents but he came to court late due to irregular flight schedule.
“And I advice them that they should direct one of their representative here in Lagos to come and present those documents and he’s here today. A lawyer from FCMB was here that day but he came after the court proceedings and he’s here today . My Lord, since the witnesses are here to present those documents, I hereby prayed that the bench warrant issued against them be rescinded,” he prayed.
Okunnu then revoked the bench warrant.
“The bench warrant issued against Miss Judith Agwu, the company secretary of CBN and FCMB is hereby rescinded and revoked,” the judge said.
Justice Lateefa Okunnu at the last adjourned date ordered the arrest of the company secretary of CBN, FCMB and one Miss Judith Agwu, over their non compliance in tendering relevant documents which Nwosu claimed were relevant.
Standing trial alongside Nwosu are three former directors of the defunct Finbank – Dayo Famoroti, Danjuma Ocholi and Agnes Ebubedike, who are being tried for an N10.9bn fraud brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The matter was consequently adjourned till April 7, 2017 for continuation of trial.
The defendants were arraigned in 2013 before Justice Okunnu, after Court of Appeal had on November 21, 2013 quashed the charges pressed against them by the EFCC and set them free.
The EFCC, however, appealed to the Supreme Court, which last year upturned the appeal and ordered Nwosu and others to return to the high court for trial.
