JUST IN: THE N2.9 BILLION EMBEZZLEMENT TRIAL AGAINST OGUN SPEAKER WAS AGAIN POSTPONED.

The trial of Kunle Oluomo, Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, has been postponed twice since his detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos.

After being detained by the anti-graft agency at the airport in September of last year, Mr. Oluomo was first hauled before the Federal High Court in Lagos, where he obtained bail. Later, the case was moved to Ogun State.

The Federal High Court in Ogun’s trial was initially scheduled for November 21, 2022, but it was delayed because to election-related issues.

The trial was once more delayed on Monday without an official explanation being made public. One of the EFCC attorneys, who immediately provided his name when questioned why the delay, responded, “The registrar will tell you the reason.”

The trial was delayed, according to a court official who begged to remain unnamed, because Joyce Abdulmalik, the presiding judge, claimed to be ill.

Around 10:42 a.m., court personnel quietly informed attorneys and other parties of the adjournment.

The Speaker entered the courtroom earlier, about 8:30 a.m.

Mr. Oluomo and three other people are accused of embezzling N2.9 billion in nine counts of corruption.

According to the EFCC, the Speaker and the three other individuals — Oladayo Samuel, Adeyemo Taiwo, and Adeyanju Nimota-Amoke — shared nearly N2 billion in public funds.

The act violates Sections 18(a) and 15(2)(d) of the Nigerian Money Laundering Prohibition Act, according to the EFCC, and is penalized under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

The speaker has also been questioned by the anti-graft organization and charged with another missing N900 million in public cash that the defendants are accused of embezzling.

In order to steal public cash, Mr. Oluomo allegedly faked the receipts from gas stations.
The gas stations have written to the EFCC and claimed that the receipts are false, including two that are owned by the former president Olusegun Obasanjo and the former speaker of the assembly, Suraj Adekunbi.