The Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos will on July 1, 2024, rule on an application by the Attorney-General of Lagos State to discontinue alleged N1.35 billion fraud charges against two defendants, Azubuike Ishekwene and Olalekan Abdul, who are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Justice Mojisola Dada fixed the date after hearing a motion by Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN.
Lawal filed for discontinuance of the case after an earlier attempt to take over its prosecution failed.
The court had also earlier ruled that the defendants had a case to answer, as well as that the prosecution can equally prosecute the defendants before the court and under the enabling laws of which they were charged.
The EFCC filed the charge in December 2019, with Ishekwene and Abdul as co-defendants in a 26-count conspiracy, forgery, and stealing charge marked ID/11126C/19.
The duo were arraigned on January 29, 2020.
The anti-graft agency alleged that they conspired with one Adeyinka Adewole and one Morakinyo Bolanle, who are at large, to obtain N350 million, and N1billion from Wema Bank under false pretences.
The EFCC alleged that the defendants forged a document, dated April 9, 2018, entitled ‘Board Resolutions of Cleanserve Integrated Energy Solutions Ltd,’ purported to have been issued by Cleanserve Integrated Energy Solutions Limited.
The EFCC further alleged that Abdul, on December 14, 2010, presented a false board resolution of Cleanserve Integrated Energy Solutions Limited to Wema Bank to obtain a credit facility of N350million and N1billion at different intervals.
Azu Ishiekwene and Lekan Abdul, former Managing Director of Cleanserve, pleaded not guilty and were granted bail, following which trial commenced in earnest.
