Adoke’s trial stalled over EFCC lawyer’s withdrawal from case

By TAIYE AGBAJE                                             

The trial of former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Adoke, was on Monday stalled following the withdrawal of lead counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the matter.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Inyang Ekwo had, on Feb. 25, fixed today, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for trial-within-trial in the matter.

At the resumed trial, no lawyer appeared for EFCC.

However, it was informed that the anti-corruption agency had already sent in a letter of its plan to change counsel.

The EFCC, in the letter addressed to the deputy chief registrar of the court, prayed the court for an adjournment to enable it engage the services of another legal team to prosecute the case.

The anti-graft agency said that the lead counsel on record for the prosecution retuned the case files for his personal reasons.

It said in view of same, there would be a need to constitute another legal team that would take over the prosecution of the cases.

It said that the case files and the records of proceedings had to be property studied and that debriefing from the former counsel was sacrosanct.

Justice Ekwo fixed May 9, May 10 and May 11 for trial continuation.

NAN reports that Adoke is being tried before the court on money laundering related charge.

He is standing trial alongside a businessman, Aliyu Abubakar, the 2nd defendant in the matter. (NAN)