- The trial of the Chairman of Ibeto Energy Development Company, Chief Cletus Ibeto has been adjourned
- Justice Oyindamola Ogala adjourned the case to May 27, 2024, over an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the charge
- The EFCC had charged Ibeto on a 10-count charge of conspiracy, fraud, forgery, and fraudulent use of documents
TheTalk.NG journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro and government policy
Ikeja, Lagos state – Justice Oyindamola Ogala of the Lagos state high court in Ikeja said the court will await the verdict of the Court of Appeal on the trial of the Chairman of Ibeto Energy Development Company, Chief Cletus Ibeto before taking any further steps on the matter.
Ogala adjourned the alleged N4.8 billion fraud case against Ibeto by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) till May 27, 2024.
Court adjourns Cletus Ibeto’s Case till May 27
Photo credit:@/ifeanyiakorjuru/Court of AppealSource: UGC
The EFCC had charged the defendants before the court on a 10-count charge of conspiracy, fraud, forgery, and fraudulent use of documents.
As reported by Vanguard, the case was adjourned due to Ibeto’s counsel, Adedayo Oshodi challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the charge.
However, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacob opposed the application challenging the jurisdiction of the court.
Jacob argued that Ibeto had filed an appeal on the same issue before the Court of Appeal and the appellate is yet to decide on it.
He added that the court could not entertain the application because the defendant has not submitted himself for trial, The Guardian reports.
Oshodi, however, counters Jacob, stating that Ibeto’s presence is not necessary given the pending application.
Justice Ogala ruled that hearing the defendant’s application would amount to nothing because the same issue is currently pending before the appellate court.
The trial judge stated this after listening to both parties, Jacob and Oshodi.
However, the defendant is yet to appear before the court to take his plea having challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter.
Ibeto faces arrest warrant in N4.8bn fraud case
TheTalk.NG earlier reported that Justice I.O. Ijelu, presiding over the Lagos state high court in Ikeja, Lagos, issued a bench warrant for the apprehension of Ibeto.
This was disclosed in a statement posted on the official Twitter (now X) page of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Saturday, November 4, 2023.
The 10-count charges against Ibeto include false pretences, fraudulent conversion of property, criminal breach of trust, forgery, and deception.
Source: TheTalk.NG
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