The Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, dismissed an application filed by Ayo Fayose, former governor of the state, who had challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, attempt to try him.
Fayose, who is facing the charge of alleged mismanagement of the sum of N1.2 billion poultry project when he was governor of the state, had sought the order of court to quash the charges brought against him by the EFCC.
In his ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Adamu Hobon, described the application as an abuse of court process, saying a similar application had been made earlier in the same case at a Federal High court in Lagos State, noting that the application was then dismissed.
The judge noted that the applicant had appealed the Lagos ruling, noting that it would have been better the applicants pursued the appeal pending at the Court of Appeal rather than filing another application after a court of competent jurisdiction had ruled on the same matter.
The judge therefore called on EFCC, represented by Tayo Olukotun and the defendants to brace-up.
Hobon, therefore, fixed December 2, 3, 4 and 5, 2013 for the commencement of hearing in the case.
Also, an Abeokuta High Court yesterday, adjourned till Feb. 6, 2014, continuation of proceedings in a criminal case brought against former governor of Ogun, Gbenga Daniel.
The former governor was arraigned before the court by EFCC for alleged fraudulent conversion of land and diversion of public funds.
The trial judge, Justice Olarenwaju Mabekoje said that the adjournment was to enable the Court of Appeal to deliver judgment in an appeal on its ruling delivered on January 8.
Daniel filed the appeal at the Court of Appeal, Ibadan, challenging the dismissal of his plea to quash counts 1-13 of the 38 charges levelled against him by the EFCC in the subsisting suit.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to Daniel, Titilola Akinlawon, informed the court that her client’s appeal had been argued at the Appeal Court and that judgment had been reserved.
She pleaded for an adjournment to a date exceeding January 28, 2014, “when the judgment would have been given in respect of the appeal.
The case was consequently adjourned till Feb. 6, 2014 for continuation of trial.