Judge withdraws from Lagos Speaker's trial

THE trial of Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforij, and his personal aide, Oyebode Atoyebi, at a Federal High in Lagos yesterday assumed a dramatic twist, with the trial judge, James Tsoho, withdrawingfrom the matter.Before his sudden withdrawal, the judge had adjourned till yesterday for the duo's arraignment over alleged misappropriation of funds, which charge was preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).The EFCC had filed a 20-count criminal charge against Adeyemi and Atoyebi on grounds that they engaged in illegal money transactions of over N501 million.But the arraignment of the duo has suffered several setbacks occasioned by their absence.To compel them to appear before him, Judge Tsoho had on December 9, 2011, issued a bench warrant for their arrest.The order was, however, discharged by the court on December 15, 2011, when the accused persons voluntarily came to court and their counsel, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), explained the reasons for his clients' absence in court.Oyetibo had explained that both the Speaker and his aide were not served with the court processes by the EFCC to the effect that they should appear in court, stressing that the development accounted for their failure to appear in court.He said his clients were responsible citizens and that they would voluntarily appear before the court on January 17, 2012. On that date, both accused persons also failed to appear in court, thereby truncating their arraignment.Also, when the case was called yesterday for the accused persons to be arraigned, they were nowhere to be found.Their counsel informed the court that he was told they were around the court premises in the morning.Irked by this development, the judge inquired to know the position of things from the prosecution counsel, Godwin Obla (SAN), but Obla had a contrary view on the situation, as he raised no objection to it.Judge Tsoho subsequently declined to hear the matter further, saying the file would be returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, for re-assignment to another judge.
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