An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) permission to prosecute Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Mr Bamidele Oleyeloogun and some lawmakers over alleged fraud.
Lawyer to the EFCC Frederick Dibang had filed an application seeking the court’s permission to prosecute the lawmakers for alleged fraud committed in 2019.
Other persons to be prosecuted besides the lawmakers are Felemu Bankole and an official of the House of Assembly, Mr. Olusegun Kayode.
The lawmakers were said to have committed the fraud when they collected money to attend a two-day seminar organised by the National Productivity Centre, Lagos, but did not show up at the seminar
Those that reportedly collected the money to attend the seminar included the former Clerk, the Deputy Speaker, the Chairman of the House Committee on Tertiary Education and two members of the Committee on Tertiary Education.
The lawmakers, through their counsel, Dr. Remi Olatubora, asked the court to strike out the charges against them over failure of the EFCC to comply with the Practice Direction of the State judiciary, which made it compulsory for the Federal Government agencies to get consent of the judiciary before they could prosecute in state’s courts.
But the EFCC, in its application, sought the court’s permission to prosecute in conformity with the practice direction of the judiciary.
Justice Adegboyega Adebusuyi granted the order and asked the EFCC to serve the lawmakers with fresh charges against them.
Hearing was fixed for October 27.