Emmanuel OchayiIn a courtroom drama at the Lagos High Court, the much-anticipated arraignment of Chief Cletus Ibeto, Chairman of Ibeto Energy Development Company, over an alleged N4.8 billion fraud, faced yet another setback.
The scheduled hearing was obstructed due to a clash between the Lagos State Government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Uche Obi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who represented Ibeto, disclosed a twist in legal representation. He claimed that there’s a move by the Lagos State Attorney-General’s office to take over the prosecution.
Obi stated: “An issue of legal representation has just arisen in court this morning.” He emphasized the need for time to resolve this before proceeding further.
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However, adding to the complexity, the EFCC, through Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rotimi Jacobs, accused the Lagos Government of attempting to derail the trial.
Jacobs denounced the attempt, stating, “This is not a case that the Lagos State Attorney-General can take over because the main counts of the charge are on Federal laws.”
The court session also unveiled Ibeto’s absence due to a severe health condition, confirmed by a letter from his US-based doctor outlining the critical nature of his illness.
Justice Ismail Ijelu presiding over the case acknowledged the clash over legal representation and adjourned the trial to January 29, 2024. He emphasized, “The issue of representation by the prosecutor on record and that of the Attorney-General is an issue and has to be resolved.”
The hearing’s intricacies unveiled a tussle between legal authorities, delaying justice in a high-profile fraud case that has witnessed multiple adjournment and complexities, leaving the arraignment of Ibeto pending for the time being.
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