Justice Adebisi Akinlade of the Lagos High Court, Igbosere on Friday mandated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate claims by Oluwaseun Ogunbambo that he is not medically fit to stand trial.
The alleged serial fraudster, who is being prosecuted by the EFCC on charges bordering on stealing, was conspicuously absent when the case came up for hearing in the court.
But his counsel, Bimbo Akintunde, claimed his client’s absence was because he was undergoing treatment at the Military Hospital in the Yaba area of Lagos for a spinal cord injury arising from a fall he had in a bath tub. He presented a medical report signed by a certain Brigadier Aremu to buttress his claim.
However, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, faulted the claim, arguing that the move was an attempt by the accused to deceive the court, pointing out that the signature on the medical report presented by the accused and admitted as exhibit CM1 and CM2 were inconsistent and should be investigated.
“The medical report presented as exhibit CM1 and CM2 signed by Brigadier Aremu is totally different from one another; therefore its authenticity needs to be established and should not just be taken on its face value”, he argued.
Oyedepo further informed the court that Ogunbambo’s claim of admission at the Military Hospital was doubtful, as enquiries by the Commission revealed that he was never admitted at the hospital.
Oyedepo consequently urged the court to disregard the medical report and issue a warrant for the arrest of the accused.
Justice Akinlade refused the request for a bench warrant but ordered the EFCC to verify the genuineness of the medical claims of the accused.
The matter was adjourned to 17th February 2014.