1.7BN FRAUD: Absence of EFCC witness stalls trial of First Nation boss Odukoya

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday was unable to proceed with its trial of Kayode Odukoya, managing director, First Nation Airlines.

Mrs Zainab Ettu, the EFCC prosecutor
informed the special offences court, Ikeja that its witness, was not present to testify in the ongoing trial.

The anti-graft agency is prosecuting Odukoya for alleged theft of the sum of N1.7billion, and use of forged documents.

She said, “we regret to inform the court that we are not prepared, I was in the office till 6pm and he was not yet in Lagos, he is in town today but I told him not to bother”, she said.

Mr Kayode was on the 26th of March arraigned alongside his airlines, First Nation and the parent airline, Bellview airlines for allegedly forging the memorandum of Lagos state certificate of occupancy, registered as no33 at Page 33 Volume 1011 at the Lagos state land registry Alausa.

The forged document was in respect of a property located at No 29 Oduduwa street, Ikeja GRA Lagos state, after which he was granted bail of N10million and two sureties in like sum.

Reacting to the EFCC prosecutor’s statement, Mr Oluwole Akoni (SAN) Odukoya’s lawyer said “I got a message from the prosecutor, I find this development very strange, but I would not be commenting” he said.

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In his submission, Akoni brought to the notice of the court that the defence has filed a notice of preliminary objection opposing the suit, dated 30th April.

Akoni on behalf of Odukoya sought an order to strike out the charge and an order discharging the defendants of the charges filed against him by the EFCC.

On the grounds that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the charges with no ID/239C/2012 and that the charges contravenes section 77,249 and 252 of the Administration of Criminal justice Law (ACJL).

According to Akoni, section 249 of the Administration of criminal justice law states that the prosecutorial authority before the high court of Lagos state shall be exercised only in the name of “The Lagos State Government”

 

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