Sen Adeleke absence stalls trial – TheNigerialawyer

*Ex-PDP governorship candidate claims ill health

The trial of Senator Ademola Adeleke, the candidate of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election in
Osun State, was stalled on Monday owing to his absence in
court.

Adeleke, who represented Osun West Senatorial District in the
8th Senate, is being tried before a Federal High Court in Abuja,
with four others on charges of examination malpractices.

The others are: Sikiru Adeleke (who is said to be the Senator’s
relative) Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau (Principal of the school where
the offces were allegedly committed), Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo (school
Registrar) and Dare Samuel Olutope (a teacher in the school).

The five were arraigned on October 31, 2018 on four-count charge
marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/156/2018 filed in the name of the Inspector
General of Police (IGP).

Ademola and Sikiru were accused of fraudulently, through
personation, registering as students of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar
School, Ojo-Aro Osun State to enable them sit for the National
Examination Council (NECO) examination of June/July 2017.

The other three defendants were accused of aiding the commission
of the alleged offence.

They pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them.

Trial has since commenced in the case, with the prosecution
calling witnesses, until May 31, 2019 when Justice Inyang Ekwo, in
a ruling, rejected the prosecution’s request for stay of
proceedings and agreed to Adeleke’s medical trip abroad.

At the resumption of proceedings on Monday, Adeleke was absent,
the defence team, led by Alex Izinyon (SAN) explained that the 1st
defendant was not in court because he was undergoing medical
treatment.

The defence tendered a document it referred to as a medical
report issued by a hospital – Emmanuel Medical Centre, based in
Osogbo (Osun State’s capital).

Prosecution’s lead lawyer, Simon Lough did not object to the
content of the letter and the defence’s request for an
adjournment.
Justice Ekwo then, adjourned until March 3, 2020 for the
continuation of trial.

The document, dated October 3, 2019 and signed by Dr. Tunde
Afolabi, was headed: “Medical report on Senator Nurudeen Ademola
Adeleke/Male/57 years/F Card 000102”

It reads: “I hereby wish to present medical report on Senator
Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke, who has been my patient over 10 years
ago, acting in capacity as Adeleke dynasty family physician.

“He presented early hour of Friday 12th October 2018 with signs
and symptoms of vomiting and passage of loose and water stool.

“Before presentation, he has moved bowel about 10 times and
repeated episode of vomiting.

“At presentation, he was lethargic, weak and severely
dehydrated, febrile (temp: 3.80c), no pedal swelling. Blood
pressure was 90/50 mmHg and pulse rate of 112 beats/min.

“He was admitted and resuscitated as a case of gastroenteritis
with background problem of poorly treated malaria. He has since
been on admission with the following medication.IV Fluid Ringer
Lactate 1 L 8 hourly, IV Cipro tab 200mg twice daily for 24 hours,
Antimalarial, IV Metronidazole 500mg thrice daily for 24 hours, ORS
200ml/loose stool. and about 1,000 litres has been
administered.

“He is fairly stable now and has been placed on observation.
However, he will require some days off to allow for recuperation
and to complete his medications.”