Ikuforiji and his personal assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi, are being prosecuted at the Federal High Court, Lagos for allegedly accepting over N500m from the Assembly without passing through a financial institution.
Obla, in his letter dated April 5, 2013 to the court’s registrar, said the manner by which the court fixed dates for the trial would deny him the ability to diligently prosecute the case.
On Tuesday, the withdrawal of Obla, a private lawyer, from the case forced the presiding judge, Justice Okechukwu Okeke, to cancel 13 dates earlier fixed for the continuation of trial.
Obla was not present in court at the last proceedings on March 25, 2013 when the 13 days in April were fixed for the continuation of trial.
In his letter, Obla stated that, the court, in fixing a total of 13 days for the trial, did not consider his commitment in other cases before other courts and tribunals.
He claimed he had in his earlier letter dated March 22, 2013 informed the court that he would be having “obligations” on the 13 days which the court fixed for the trial.
Obla stated, “It is important that I draw His Lordship’s attention to the fact that, regrettably, the new dates didn’t take into consideration the dates that I was previously committed in other legal proceedings before various courts and Arbitral Tribunals which dates were communicated in my letter of March 22, 2013.
“The new dates clearly conflict with those long-scheduled obligations.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Lagos Judiciary helping to frustrate the trial of a Lagos Legislative boss. There will be consequences.
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