Court Adjourns Daniel’s Fraud Case Till February

An Ogun State High Court, sitting in the Isabo area, Abeokuta, on Thursday adjourned the continuation of the trial of the former governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, on corruption allegations till February, 2014.

Justice Olanrewaju Mabekoje adjourned the case till February 6, 2014 for the continuation of Daniel’s trial in the criminal charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The former governor is currently facing 38 counts of stealing, fraudulent conversion of land as well as diversion of public funds during his tenure as the helmsman in the state.

Daniel had however appealed against the ruling of the High Court which turned down his application to quash counts 1 to 13 of the criminal charges.

While ruling on the former governor’s application, seeking to quash the 13 charges, Justice Mabekoje had held that the recommendations of an administrative panel of inquiry could not be equated with a court process.

But Daniel, who was not satisfied, instituted an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Ibadan against the court’s ruling which had dismissed his plea to quash counts 1 to13 of the 38 counts.

When the matter came up for further hearing on Thursday before the trial judge, counsel for the former governor, Mrs. Titilola Akinlawon, told the court that the appeal had been argued at the appellate court and judgment had been reserved.

Akinlawon explained that judgment was expected to be delivered at a maximum period of three months from the date of the argument of the appeal.

She then sought for an adjournment to a date not exceeding January 28, 2014, after which judgment should have been delivered by the appellate court in respect of the 13 charges.

Source: Legit.ng