Kemisola Oye
THE trial of a former Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Olasupo Shasore (SAN), charged with alleged $200,000 corrupt offers before a Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja Tuesday suffered a setback due to disagreement over services of documents from prosecution to defence.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on 21 October 2023 arraigned the former Attorney-General on a two-count charge bordering on corrupt offers. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
At the resumed hearing of the trial today, Justice Mojisola Dada adjourned the case after the lead defence counsel, Chijioke Okoli (SAN) sought the adjournment of the case pending the sorting out of the issue of the disputed documents.
Okoli told the court that defence had filed an application dated 2nd December, to seek an adjournment. He added there was a need for an adjournment because the defence needed more documents from the prosecution to defend their case.
The EFCC counsel, Bala Sanga, had informed the court that he was ready to proceed with the trial as that was the business of the day.
Justice Dada however granted the prayer of the defence and adjourned till today but appearing before the court today, Shasore counsel, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Muiz Banire, informed the court that the prosecutor is yet to oblige them with the documents they requested for at the last adjourned date.
He noted that the defence would need those documents to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the charges.
In a counter-response, the EFCC counsel, Bala Sanga, told the court that they have served the defence with the requested document while showing the court the proof of service.
The judge, who confirmed that the proof of service was not in the court file, urged the prosecutor to file an affidavit of service.
Subsequently, the matter was adjourned till 20th June for trial.
Eighteen-Eleven Media