ALLEGED EXAM MALPRACTICE: PROSECUTION ABSENCE STALLS TRIAL OF ADELEKE, ADJOURNED TILL WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3.

The case of alleged examination malpractice and certificate forgery filed against a senator, Ademola Adeleke, was on Tuesday stalled due to the absence of the prosecution. Mr Adeleke is a senator and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Osun State governorship election of last year. The Federal High Court Abuja presided over by Inyang Ekwo had at the previous date of hearing adjourned to April 2, 3 and 4 to enable the prosecution file additional evidence. Mr Ekwo fixed the date after the prosecution counsel, Simon Lough, called two witnesses, Buhari Moshood and Salamatu Fumilayo. Mr Lough prayed the court for leave to file additional evidence. The application was not opposed by the defence. Following that, Mr Ekwo adjourned the matter until April 2, 3 and 4 for accelerated hearing of the matter. During the court session on Tuesday, Mr Adeleke’s counsel, Alex Izinyon, told the court that the prosecution called and informed him that he would be in court by 10 a.m. But as at 10: 30 a.m, he was still absent. The judge then adjourned till Wednesday, April 3. Mr Adeleke was arraigned in 2018 on allegations of examination malpractice and certificate forgery. He was arraigned alongside the principal of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School, Aregbesola Muftau; the registrar of the school, Mr Gbadamosi Ojo; and a teacher in the school, Dare Samuel Olutope, as well as Sikiru Adeleke. The police accused them of fraudulently registering Mr Adeleke and another Sikiru Adeleke as students of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School in Ojo-Aro, Osun State, for the National Examination Council’s June/July 2017 Senior School Certificate Examination in February 2017.