The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, told a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja that the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and his deputy, Usman Nafada who are being prosecuted over alleged illegal procurement of N42 billion loan from some banks are delaying trial.
At the resumed hearing of the case, their lawyer, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), pleaded for time, as they sought the leave of the court to file an application for a no-case-submission.
Oyetibo had told the court that they (the accused) just received the court’s record of proceedings of the evidence led by the prosecution and submitted that after reading it, they needed time to prepare their submissions.
But the prosecution counsel, Festus Keyamo, said asking for more time was an attempt to further delay the trial of the case which the presiding judge, Justice Suleiman Belgore, had promised to conclude before the end of the year.
Besides, Keyamo said the defence team should not have waited for the court’s proceedings before preparing for their defence.
Delivering his ruling, Justice Belgore told the defence team to file their written addresses on the no-case-submission and also urged the prosecution to reply before the next adjourned date of January 16, 2012.
On November 29, 2011, lawyer to the first accused person, Wale Akoni, had requested for the court proceedings to enable them prepare their defence, but to which the judge asked that an application be made to the registrar.