Ladoja: Court Threatens To Issue Bench Warrant On Oyo AG
Justice Idris threatened to order the arrest of the two Oyo State officials after the former governor’s lawyer, Bolaji Onilenla drew the attention his attention to the fact that they have been treating the order of court with disdain and levity.
The judge had on February 24 issued a subpoena on the Oyo State AG while he had earlier on February 20 issued a summons on Fatoki to produce some documents needed by the defence following an application to that effect fron Onilenla.
Ladoja was arraigned before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside one of his aides, Waheed Akanbi on an amended eight count charge of money laundering and unlawful conversion of funds belonging to Oyo State to their personal use.
Ladoja and Akanbi however l pleaded not guilty to the charges.
While cross-examining the first prosecution witness, Adewale Atanda, Onilenla, said efforts to get the required documents from the two state officials were unsuccessful so far.
The lawyer also said he wanted to tender the documents, including the official mandates for the disposal of Oyo’s share’s under Ladoja, through the witness.
He submitted, “If by tomorrow (Thursday) the Oyo Attorney-General does not produce the documents, we shall be compelled to invoke the consequences of non-compliance.
“They have not offered any excuse but have been treating the order of court with disdain and levity.
“The documents sought to be produced are quite central and germane to our defence. We will apply that a warrant be issued against them, we don’t care who they are,” he said.
Justice Idris noted that his record shows that the Attorney-General and Fatoki were duly served with the summons and subpoena and that they had a duty to appear in court having received the summons duly issued, signed and served because “they have no choice”.
Justice Idris stated, “This court frowns at public officers who refuse to appear in court when summons have been issued for them to appear. They have no right to refuse to appear.
“Therefore, when this court is properly called upon, the court will issue a warrant for their arrest and production in court if they refuse to appear.
“Let the Attorney-General and Fatoki be warned that they must appear in court,” Justice Idris held.
While testifying on Wednesday, Atanda, a former Senior Special Executive Assistant to Ladoja, said lawyers who defended Ladoja following his impeachment charged him N50million when the case was at the High Court.
The witness said, “When there was success at the Court of Appeal and a date had been fixed at the Supreme Court, the team of lawyers said the initial fee was just for the High Court, and that they didn’t know the case would get to the Supreme Court.
“So, they revised their fees to N350 million. Ladoja promised them that if we’re successful at the Supreme Court, we’ll pay the amount because we didn’t have money then.
“They demanded for a good faith payment, which was why I took a loan and paid them N35million,” Atanda claimed.
The witness said he also served as chairman of Oyo State Housing Corporation under Ladoja and had the privilege of sitting in the executive council meetings as an aide.
He was the shares disposed of by the Ladoja administration was up to 300 million units and that they were sold to a firm which offered the best price for the purchase.
The EFCC accused Ladoja and Akanbi of converting N1,932,940,032.48 belonging to Oyo to their personal use through the Guaranty Trust Bank account of a company, Heritage Apartments Limited despite knowing that it was proceed of crime.
The prosecution said Ladoja removed £600,000 (about N240,219,945) from the state coffers in 2007 and sent it to Bimpe Ladoja in London.
Ladoja also allegedly bought an armoured Land Cruiser jeep with N42million for himself using public funds.
EFCC said he converted N728,600,000 and another N77,850,000 at different times in 2007, and allegedly transferred N77, 850,000 to Bistrum Investments, which he nominated to help him purchase a property named Quarter 361 in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
The alleged offence contravenes sections 17(a) and18 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004, punishable under sections 14(1), 16(a) (b) and 18(2).
Ladoja and Akanbi pleaded not guilty.
