A former Managing Director of the
defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc, Dr. Erastus Akingbola, has been ordered by the Supreme Court to defend his trial over alleged N5bn fraud charges.
A five-man panel of the apex court on Friday led by Justice Tanko Muhammad,
unanimously affirmed the February 2015 judgment of the Court of Appeal,
which overturned the Federal High Court’s decision to strike out the
charges.
unanimously affirmed the February 2015 judgment of the Court of Appeal,
which overturned the Federal High Court’s decision to strike out the
charges.
Justice Sidi Bage, who read the lead judgment, said Akingbola’s appeal challenging the Court of Appeal’s verdict lacked merit.
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He ordered that the case be taken back to the Federal High Court in
Lagos, handled by another judge and given “expeditions trial.”
Lagos, handled by another judge and given “expeditions trial.”
The trial was stopped by Justice Charles Archibong, who struck out the 26-count charge, in April 2012.
He held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was not diligent in the handling of the case.
The judge also described the EFCC prosecution team as a drain in the
public purse and directed the then Attorney-General of the Federation to
disband the team.
public purse and directed the then Attorney-General of the Federation to
disband the team.
Justice Archibong was later sent on compulsory retirement by the National Judicial Council (NJC) over the decision.
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