Nigeria, Oct 4, 2016 – For traveling to Germany on medical reasons without permission of the court, Mr. Walter Wagbatsoma of Ontario Oil and Gas was arrested by UK authority in Germany, a Lagos High Court has been told.
Walter Wagbatsoma, Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi, Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer and their company, Ontario Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited have been placed on trial by EFCC for conspiracy, obtaining property by false pretence, forgery obtaining the sum of N340, 000,000 by false pretence from the Federal Government as subsidy payable to Ontario Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited.
But counsel to the first defendant, Mr. Onyeke dismissed the submission by the prosecution on the whereabouts of the first defendant as a mere market-place gossip, adding that his client has not absconded from justice but merely traveled to Germany for medical treatment.
Onyeke confirmed that his client was arrested in Germany by UK authorities only on suspicion, and that Temporary Admission has been issued to his client by the UK Home Office but that he has not been charged with any offence.
Prosecution, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) had filed an application urging the court to continue proceedings without the first defendant whom he said had absconded from justice.
He said the conduct of the accused contravened section 2(1) and section 352(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, adding that the first defendant was arrested in Germany by United Kingdom authorities, extradited and placed on house arrest for unconcluded criminal charges.
He urged the court to continue proceedings without the first defendant and to compel the defense counsel to produce Dr. Amodu, the physician who referred the first defendant to Germany for medical treatment.
The defense counsel could however not oppose continuation of proceedings as submitted by the prosecution but said the prosecution fails to understand the difference between misconduct and a clear reason beyond the control of his client to attend proceedings.
He noted that despite the court being in possession of the first defendant’s international passport, he still traveled out of the country to four countries namely, France, Switzerland, Netherlands and Germany with four different passports claiming to be critically ill without informing the court.
After hearing the submissions, Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos State High Court adjourned to October 14,2016.
