Alleged N7.9m fraud: Ex-Vanguard staff’s trial adjourned till May 21

[MrVan]

By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

LAGOS -A Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere,  yesterday, adjourned till May 21, for trial of former Chief Accountant of Vanguard Media Limited, Mr. Yisa Badmus, who is standing trial alongside Joseph Ezeobi, and Ogbole Samuel, following an application by the defendants to consolidate the charges against them.

Trial judge is Justice Candide Johnson.

Badmus, in a separate charge before the Ikeja division of the court, is standing trial alongside James Unoka.

Bhadmus' counsel, Mr Moses Jessy, yesterday,  told the court that his client was on Tuesday, arraigned before Justice Lateefa Okunnu of an Ikeja High Court on a charge  related to the one before the court.

He said a letter to consolidate the charges had been sent to the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr. Ade Ipaye.

He said: "I was asked to report this Friday (May 11) at the office of the Chief Judge in respect of the letter seeking the consolidation of the matters."

At that point, the court asked, "what should the court in view of the credible evidence from the Attorney-General do? Do we not wait for the AG's decision before this court would commence trial?"

Ezeobi's counsel, argued that the second defendant had been in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, since January 10, 2012 after he (Ezeobi) was invited by the commission via phone call, noting that the second defendant was always present in court.

His counsel urged the court to allow him forward a bail application for Ezeobi, since the court would have to wait for the Chief Judge's decision on the consolidation sought by Bhadmus.

The court noted that it was unwise to allow the application since Chief Judge's decision on the consolidation had not been received by the court.

The court said "it is not unlikely to consider the issue of bail at this particular point in time looking at the consolidation, but it will be wiser to wait for the Chief Judge to decide one way or the other?"

The court, however, adjourned at that point.

Vanguard Nigeria