Days after making an oral application to have the bribery charges against Akintoye Akindele, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Duport Midstream Company Limited, police on Tuesday arrested the High Court, Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi. Changed direction to appear in court. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has stated its decision to proceed with the trial.
Akindele is on trial on charges of bribing a police officer to obstruct an investigation for allegedly misappropriating the sum of $5,636,397.01 from Summit Oil International.
In the last proceedings, the police had made an oral application to drop the N150 million bribery charge (marked CR/595/2023) against the boss of Duport Midstream Company Limited.
The trial judge refused, ordered the prosecution to submit a written application, and postponed the hearing on the motion to withdraw until December 12.
DAILY POST recalls that during the previous trial, Mr. Akindele's lawyer did not oppose the application to have the charges withdrawn, but urged the court to release and acquit his client. However, the lawyer for Summit Oil International Ltd. (the petitioner), Mr. Bankole Akomolahu (SAN), vehemently opposed the application, saying there was no reason given for the bizarre withdrawal attempt by the police.
At Tuesday's hearing, prosecutors represented by Godwin Titus Neff said: I would like to request a trial date for the defendant. ”
In response, the defendant's lawyer, Mrs. Funmi Quadri (SAN), asked the court for permission to move an application for the issuance of an international passport for the defendant to enable him to travel abroad for medical purposes.
Quadri said the defendant has a leg problem that cannot be treated in Nigeria and will undergo a six-week medical check-up abroad.
A senior lawyer who asked the court for permission to apply assured that his client would not jump bail and would return to the country to continue the trial.
Although the prosecution opposed the release of Akindele's international passport as the defendant faces other charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Osho Adebiyi in his judgment said he would proceed with the trial on the grounds presented by the defendant. He said he believed it was necessary. Going abroad for medical purposes.
However, the judge ruled that the defendant must deposit an international passport with the court and provide two sureties who must sign an oath stating that they will be held responsible if the defendant does not return home. , ruled that passports are exempt. Please continue his trial.
According to the court, one of the sureties will be the defendant's wife in Nigeria, while the other will be one of his brothers with the same last name.
She said the surety's passport would be returned as soon as the defendant returned home.
She then adjourned until February 28, 2024 for a hearing.
The one count at the FCT High Court is as follows: “You have committed between August 5 and 9, 2023, Duport Midstream Company, D2 Mambilla Close Osborne Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos State. Akintoye Akindele, a male, 49 years old, MD/CEO of Limited, Summit Oil International Ltd., for allegedly misappropriating the sum of $5,636,397.01 and Naira 73,543,763.25 between August 5 and 9, 2023 in Abuja. You offered 150 naira satisfaction while you were under the jurisdiction of this court while being investigated by SP Ibrahim Ezekiel Sini and his team on the petition you submitted to the Inspector General of Police FIB ,000,000 (one hundred and fifty million naira) and paid part of the amount of fifty million naira (fifty million naira) to SP Ibrahim Sini, a civil servant, for the purpose of fleeing the country and writing a report. As a result, you have committed an offense punishable under Article 118 of the Penal Code.”
At the Federal High Court in Abuja, Mr. Akindele faces four criminal charges for alleged misappropriation of funds related to $5.7 million in Summit Oil.
On four charges marked FHC/ABJ/OR/570/2023, Akindele was charged with theft, conspiracy to commit theft, felony and dishonesty, contrary to sections 516, 387, 385 and 388. He was charged with conspiracy to commit religious conversion. He can be punished under Section 390 of the Criminal Code, Cap C38 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
