A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on Monday, December 9, 2013 postponed till March 2014, the re-arraignment of a former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc), Mr. Erastus Akingbola and his associate, Bayo Dada who are standing trial in a N47billion stealing charge instituted against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Justice Lawal Akapo who was taking over the case from the former trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, told Godwin Obla, SAN and M. I. Igbokwe, SAN, prosecuting and defence counsel respectively, that he would need time to acquaint himself with the content and facts of the case. He subsequently adjourned the matter till March 24th, 25th and 27th, 2014 for arraignment and trial.
Akingbola and Dada were originally arraigned before Justice Habeeb Abiru who was on the verge of delivering judgment on the case before being upgraded as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. The case consequently started de novo with Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo who has now been transferred to another division of the Lagos High Court, hence the transfer of the case file to Justice Akapo.
