N38m fraud: Islamic cleric collapses in court

The was confusion at the Federal High Court sitting at Osogbo,
when an accused, Surajudeen Bada, standing trial for allegedly
defrauding a member of the Osun State House of Assembly, Mr. Lekan
Afolabi, of N38 million, suddenly collapsed.

Bada’s collapse halted hearing in the case. Counsel and other
litigants in court were running from one place to the other to
revive the accused, who was lying on the floor of the
courtroom.

The prison officials, who brought Bada to court, hurriedly took
him outside the court where he was eventually revived. Earlier
before the sitting, the counsel to the accused, Mr. Promise Jones,
told the court that his client was ill and prayed the court to
allow him sit down during the proceedings. Justice Maureen Onyetenu
granted the request and a seat was provided for him.

Bada, an Islamic cleric from Ilorin, Kwara State, is standing
trial alongside two others, Owoseye Dorcas and Akinola Ibitayo,
after being arrested by the police for the same offence. The
accused were granted bail early in the year because counsel
involved in the matter opted for an out-of-court settlement.

However, when the parties involved failed to settle the matter
amicably as agreed, the court revoked the bail and remanded the
accused in prison custody before being ordered to reappear in
court.

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