By Akeem Nafiu
EFFORT by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to re-arraign seven directors of Intercontinental Bank Plc at a federal high court presided over by Justice Dan Abutu in Lagos was, on Monday, stalled owing to the insistence of the directors that the new criminal charge against them was defective.
The EFCC is currently prosecuting Raymond Obieri (chairman); Hyacinth Enuha; Christopher Adebayo Alabi; Samuel Adegbite; Isyaku Umar; Bayo Dada and Sani Adams for alleged illegal banking practice and economic crimes to the tune of N120 billion.
When the case came up for hearing, on Monday, counsel for the EFCC, Muslim Hassan, informed the judge that an amended charge had been filed against the accused and that the papers had been served on them.
The counsel, therefore, urged the court to allow the bank chiefs to take their pleas on the amended charge, a request which the court granted.
However, after the first count out of the 20 counts was read to the accused, Wole Olanipekun, counsel for Obieri, raised an objection to the charge, insisting that the plea of his client could not be taken because the charge was defective.
Olanipekun, who cited Section 167 of the Criminal Procedure Act to buttress his point, said his client would be objecting to 10 out of the 20 charges.
The lawyer further urged the court to adjourn the matter to enable him to file a formal application to challenge the amended charge.
In his reaction, Hassan argued that the move by the defence was a ploy to further delay trial, adding that the amended charge had been served on the accused since January 20.
In a short ruling, Justice Abutu upheld Olanipekun’s submission and directed the accused to file formal application, while he adjourned the matter till March 22.
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