Judge threatens to withdraw from Oyo-Ita’s N570million fraud case
The judge was angry that EFCC is pursuing parallel proceedings against three of the co-defendants before another judge. 2 min read
The judge overseeing the trial of a former Head of Service, Winifred Oyo-Ita, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, threatened to withdraw from the case.
Ms Oyo-Ita, who was prematurely retired over corruption allegations late 2019, is being prosecuted along with others before the judge for money laundering involving N570million.
Taiwo Taiwo, the trial judge, was angry that the prosecution allegedly snubbed his directive to terminate the parallel proceedings instituted against three of Mrs Oyo-Ita’s co-defendants before another judge.
ADVERTISEMENT
The absence of Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, again stalled the trial continuation of former Head of Service (HoS) of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, on allegations bordering on fraud.
Although counsel to the parties in the matter, including the defendants, were in court, Justice Taiwo was not in court.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the case could not also hold on October 20, 2020, because the judge, who sat during the annual vacation of the Federal High Court, proceeded on leave.
The matter was, however, fixed for December 1.
When the matter came up on December 1, 2020, counsel to the former HoS, Paul Erokoro, and other defendants’ lawyers, urged the court to adjourn the trial indefinitely over alleged abuse of court process by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (