A Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State on Friday held that the a former official of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kolawole Babalola, had a case to answer in the alleged N8 billion currency scam instituted against him.
Justice Ayo Emmanuel of the FHC, Ibadan, Oyo State ruled in the case instituted against Babalola on Thursday.
Emmanuel said all the extrajudicial statements tendered against Babalola by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission proved that his hands were not clean and must convince the court that he is innocent.
He held: “I have considered all the exhibits tendered by the defence counsel in respect of this suit and that the defendant must prove to the court that he had no hands in the 11 charges instituted against him.
“I will therefore overrule the no case submission by Babalola.”
The judge adjourned continuation of trial until October 24, 25 and 26.
Meanwhile, the court rejected the oral withdrawal of services as a counsel by Olayinka Bolanle, counsel to the second defendant.
Citing the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, the judge ruled that it amounted to illegality for any counsel not to give the court a three-day notice before withdrawing from a case.
Bolanle had earlier complained to the court that many media sources such as radio, newspapers and internet had on Thursday afternoon circulated his name as frustrating smooth trial, an action that had dented his reputation.
However, Adebisi Adeniyi, counsel to the EFCC, had prayed the court to discountenance Bolanle’s excuse for withdrawal, describing it as a mere blackmail.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Bolanle had at Wednesday’s court hearing informed the court that he was indisposed.
NAN reports that Babalola, Muniru Olaniran and Johnson Afolabi along with others were charged in 2015 with conspiracy, forgery, unlawful conversion, stealing and recirculation of mutilated currencies at the Ibadan branch of the CBN.