Lagos AG seeks to discontinue N1.35bn fraud case against two suspects
The Attorney-General of Lagos, Lawal Pedro has requested the Ikeja Special Offences Court to discontinue the trial of Azubuike Ishiekwene and Olalekan Abdul, who are facing allegations of N1.35 billion fraud.
Pedro’s notice of discontinuance, dated May 30, was filed under Section 71(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State. This move comes after an unsuccessful attempt to take over the prosecution of the case.
Presiding Judge Mojisola Dada has scheduled a ruling on the application for July 1.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) first arraigned Ishiekwene and Abdul on January 29, 2020. Both pleaded not guilty to a 26-count charge, including conspiracy, forgery, and stealing.
In the charge marked ID/11126C/19, the defendants are accused of conspiring with Adeyinka Adewole and Morakinyo Bolanle, who are currently at large, to fraudulently obtain N350 million and N1 billion from Wema Bank.
The EFCC alleges the defendants forged a document dated April 9, 2018, titled “Board Resolutions of Cleanserve Integrated Energy Solutions Ltd,” purportedly issued by Cleanserve Integrated Energy Solutions Limited.
Additionally, the EFCC claims that on December 14, 2010, Abdul presented a false board resolution of Cleanserve Integrated Energy Solutions Limited to Wema Bank to secure credit facilities of N350 million and N1 billion at different times.
The defendants filed no-case submissions.
They contested the testimony of EFCC witnesses, arguing that the prosecution failed to show any prima facie evidence linking them with any alleged offence.
Specifically, the first defendant told the court that he was a victim of a vendetta by EFCC agents who were aggrieved that he reported them for demanding a $20,000 bribe.
However, on November 17, 2023, the judge dismissed the no-case submissions and ordered the defendants to open their defence.
The defendants had called four witnesses before asking the EFCC to withdraw the case.
They also applied to the Lagos AG to take over the case, a move initially resisted by the AG via a counter-application to the court.
The AG later withdrew the counter application and prayed for the court to give its ruling.
