Ex-Speaker Ikuforiji runs to S’Court to avoid fresh trial over alleged N500m fraud

Former Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has gone to the Supreme Court to challenge a Court of Appeal in Lagos ruling that he must face fresh trial over N500million money laundering charges.

Mr. Ikuforiji, who was charged along with his personal assistant, Olabode Atoyebi, in a notice of appeal filed before the Lagos Division of the Appeal Court, is praying the Supreme Court to set aside the ruling of
the Appeal Court.

The appellants, in the notice, argued that the Appeal Court’s ruling was not only unreasonable but unwarranted, adding that it was not supported by the evidence and material on record.

They therefore prayed the Supreme Court to uphold their no-case submission as upheld by a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court presided over by Ibrahim Buba on September 26, 2014, and set aside by the appellate court’s ruling.

In the notice, the appellants further said that additional grounds of appeal would be filed upon receipt of the certified true copy of the Court of Appeal ruling.

Read also: No escape for ex-Lagos speaker Ikuforiji in alleged N600m fraud

In a unanimous judgment, a Court of Appeal in Lagos, had dismissed the ruling of Buba, and affirmed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had made out a prima facie case against the accused.

The appellant court in a lead judgment delivered by Justice Biobela Georgewill, then ordered that fresh trial should start before another judge other than Justice Buba, in light of the far-reaching findings
already made by him.

 

 

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