Two applications, one seeking the transfer of their case to another judge and the other a notice of appeal against the refusal of bail to the defendants, on Thursday stalled the trial of Kudirat Iyabo Adeleke and 11 others who are being prosecuted at Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over a N5.6 billion pension fund fraud.
At the resumed sitting on Thursday, counsel to the 6th defendant, Richard Ogunwole, holding brief for all other defendants, told the court that a letter had been written to the Chief Judge, Oyo State, seeking the transfer of the case to another judge.
The counsel to the EFCC, Gbolahan Latona, expressed surprise at the development.
Latona said that the EFCC was prepared for the trial and accused the defendants of trying to delay trial by not only seeking the transfer of the case to another judge but filing a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal against the bail refused them by the court.
He confirmed that he received “four copies of notice of appeal in respect of ruling of the court for 1st, 3rd 8th and 11& 12th defendants.
“They wrote an appeal to the Court of Appeal and at the same time a letter to Chief Judge of Oyo State.
“This is a way of delaying the matter.”
The presiding judge, Justice Bolaji Yusuf, adjourned the case to January 10, 2014, while awaiting the instruction of the Chief Judge of Oyo State.
Yusuf ordered that the defendants be returned to Agodi Prison, Ibadan.
Adeleke and her co-defendants were denied bail on November 26, 2013 by Justice Yusuf based on the severity of the offences committed by the defendants and promised to accelerate their trial.
They were arraigned on November 7, 2013 on charges bordering on conspiracy, stealing and criminal breach of trust.
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