Admin l Monday, Nov. 20, 2018
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami has made a bold move to stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from prosecuting Mr. John Abebe, in-law to Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president of Nigeria. At the hearing before a Special Offences Court, Ikeja, presiding over by Justice Mojisola Dada, Malami, through a counsel from his office, Mr. Pius Akuta, shortly after the prosecution and defence counsels announced their appearance, rose and vehemently prayed the court for an adjournment on behalf of AGF.
According to him, the court should grant an adjournment in the case and duplicate file of the matter should be transmitted to Malami to enabling him look into a pending petition on the matter before him.
“The Attorney General of the Federation has received a petition from the defendant. In considering the petition, the AGF is seeking short adjournment of the matter and given him the duplicate of the file to enabling him look into it.
“I brought this to the attention of the prosecution and he said he has not been informed by the Chairman of the Commission. I want the court to take judicial notice of the letter,” Akuta submitted. The court in a swift reaction said he was not aware of any letter as Justice Dada called on prosecution to call it’s witnesses inline with the business of the day.
“Which letter are you talking about? I don’t know the letter which you are talking about. I can’t talk on what is not before me, ” Justice Dada said.
In his response to the prayer of Akuta, lead prosecution counsel to the anti graft agency Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo told the court that the matter was slated for continuation of trial. He said the court should not play into the antics of Akuta as the AGF knows what to do administratively if he has interest in the matter.
“The matter is for the continuation of trial today. I have two witnesses in this matter. I am the prosecution and I’m not seeking any adjournment. I know that the AGF will not ask my friend to come and do what he is doing here. We are ready for today’s proceedings,” Oyedepo affirmed.
Abebe, a younger brother to the late former First Lady, Stella Obasanjo, was arraigned on four counts before the Lagos State. The EFCC, in the charges, claimed that Abebe “knowingly forged” a November 30, 1995 letter written by BP Exploration Nigeria Limited to Inducon (Nigeria).
