Embattled billionaire businessman, Seun Ogunbambo on Thursday filed an application before an Ikeja High, Lagos to halt the court’s planned commencement of his trial over an alleged N430 million fraud against Stanbic IBTC bank, saying the court lacks the jurisdiction to try him.
The trial, which was originally scheduled to commence on Thursday, was stalled as a result of the application but the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), through its counsel, Francis Usani, expressed its unwillingness to file a response to the application since the court had adjourned in preparation for a definite trial.
Trial judge, Olabisi Akinlade, expressing anger at the EFCC for refusing to respond to the application contesting the court’s jurisdiction as filed by Mr. Ogunbambo, also said the trial could no longer begin as a result of the current suit.
According to the judge, who has now adjourned to March 27 to hear the suit challenging the jurisdiction of the court, the new suit must first be dispensed with before trial could commence if necessary.
“We can’t go further when there is an application that borders on jurisdiction,” she said
Counsel to Ogunbambo, Mr. Adebayo Adenipekun had appealed to the court on Thursday for his absence at the last sitting date, saying he was held up in traffic.
Accusing the EFCC of lying about the timing and place of its receipt of the application challenging the court’s jurisdiction, Adenipekun lamented the “unfair” misrepresentation of facts by the anti-graft agency before the court.
He recalled that the application was served on the 7th March but the EFCC counsel claimed to have received it at 4:35pm on 11th Marc.
He however argued that the trial should commence since that was the reason they were in court.
The case had been adjourned for the defendant several times, especially as he has a case of subsidy scam to answer. An out-of-court settlement had been mulled but the judge fixed a date for trial when the negotiations between the parties did not sail through.
