A Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday, ordered stay of proceedings in the N130 million fraud charge preferred against a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Sinatu Ojikutu. Ojikutu was charged with conspiracy, fraud and stealing.<\/p>\n
Justice Mohammed Yunusa made the order while ruling on a preliminary objection filed by Ojikutu\u2019s Counsel, Mr. Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), challenging the competence of the suit.<\/p>\n
Ayorinde had faulted the institution of the suit, saying that a similar suit was pending before a Lagos High Court.<\/p>\n
He urged the Federal High Court to dismiss the suit before it.<\/p>\n
Yunusa held: \u201cIn the suit No. FHC\/L\/CS\/343C\/2013, there is no physical presence of the accused in question; no charge has been read, and no plea taken.<\/p>\n
\u201cCounsel to the accused has exhibited sufficient records of court to show that there exists a subsisting order of a Lagos High Court restraining parties from taking steps which will be inimical to the determination of the suit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am aware that time does not run against criminal trial; so, the complainant should have waited for a full determination of the civil suit before instituting this suit.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will amount to judicial rascality for me to entertain this suit because a judge has no powers to reverse the decision of a judge of
\nconcurrent jurisdiction.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is in this regard that I hereby order the stay of this suit in line with the enrolled order of a Lagos High Court dated Aug. 12, 2013.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ojikutu was on September 20 charged alongside her son, Simpson, with obtaining N130 million from Mr. Cajetan Okekearu under false pretences of selling a plot of land to him at Lekki Phase 1, Victoria Island, Lagos.<\/p>\n
On October 31, the prosecution counsel,\u00a0 Mr. Bukola Durojaiye, filed an amended charge, removing Simpson from the suit.<\/p>\n
The alleged offences contravened Section 1(a) (iii) and 8 (a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, Cap. A6, Laws of the Federation, 2004.<\/p>\n
They also contravene Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code, Act, Cap. C38, Vol. 10, Laws of the Federation, 2010.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday, ordered stay of proceedings in the N130 million fraud charge preferred against a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Sinatu Ojikutu. Ojikutu was…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19772,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19771","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n