The hearing of an application filed by Chairman of Bi-Courtney Ltd, Mr. Wale Babalakin, before a High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos seeking for the dismissal of the N4.7 billion fraud charge preferred against him and four others has been postponed to 12th May.
Babalakin filed the application before Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo, who had earlier fixed Wednesday, 30th April for its hearing.
The case could not hold on the scheduled date because the judge was absent. He was attending a workshop on Continuous Legal Education organised by the Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
Babalakin, alongside Alex Okoh and their companies, Stabilini Visioni Ltd, Bi-Courtney Ltd and Renix Nigeria Ltd, are facing a 27-count charge pressed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for allegedly fronting for former Governor James Ibori of Delta state, who is currently serving jail term in a United Kingdom prison and for transferring the said amount on the ex-governor’s behalf.
The counts bordered on conspiracy to commit felony, corruptly conferring benefit on account of public action and retention of proceeds of a criminal conduct.
His co-defendants have also filed similar applications, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the charge while challenging the competency of the charge and arguing that EFCC lacked the power to prosecute them before a state high court without a valid fiat from the state Attorney-General.
