Popular transporter, Bube Okorodudu is still a wanted man, the court insists.
Here are the revelations that back this assertion.
'A Lagos High Court, Ikeja, yesterday
heard that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) has directed the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to hands off the
prosecution of Cross Country Transport Limited chief, Bube Okorodudu.
The frontline transporter is on trial
before Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo, with his firms, Cross Country and Car
Link Limited, for allegedly stealing N82.8 million by fraudulently
selling 17 units of Volkswagen transporter buses belonging to AG Moeller
Limited and Adeloye Olukemi.
At the resumed hearing yesterday, a
lawyer from the office of the AGF, D. E. Kaswe, told the court that the
AGF took over the matter from the EFCC on September 8, while the court
was on vacation.
The lawyer added that the case was taken over because of a sister criminal case before a Federal High Court in Lagos.
Praying the court for an adjournment to
enable the AGF’s office collect the original file it requested from the
EFCC, Kaswe said it would enable them examine the files and reach a
conclusion.
'But defence counsel Taiwo Taiwo said Okorodudu voluntarily turned himself in to the police, as directed by the court on July 1.
He said: “The first defendant
(Okorodudu) was in their (EFCC) custody and came to court on July 14.
But the court could not sit due to the strike by Judiciary workers.
“He was thereafter granted
administrative bail by the police. The reason he is not here today is
because I was not aware that the matter would come up today.”
'After hearing the submissions of both
counsel, Justice Lawal-Akapo averred that the practice directive by the
National Judicial Council (NJC) was that judges should give priority to
high profile criminal cases.
He said:”I am not in any way impressed
by the explanation given by the prosecution counsel that the AGF Office
is still trying to take over the original case file from the EFCC since
September 8. Counsels from both sides should assist the court in dealing speedily with the matter'
He held that the bench warrant issued against Okorodudu was still in force.
Justice Lawal - Akapo ordered the police to arrest and produce him in court at the next adjournment fixed for December 2 2014.'
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