Court adjourns trial of Otunla, others over alleged N2 billion fraud to February 7

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of a Federal High Court, Abuja, has again adjourned the trial of former Accountant-General of the Federation, Jonah Otunla, to February 7, 2019.

The adjournment is consequent upon his absence in court.

The court, however, stressed that if he is again absent at the next adjourned date, it would be compelled to hear the application of the prosecution seeking a warrant for his arrest.

Otunla is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of money laundering involving alleged diversion of about N2 billion from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser.

He was to be arraigned on December 7, 2017 along with Ade Adelakun and seven other companies, but his absence stalled his arraignment.

Meanwhile, at the resumed sitting yesterday, a new twist was brought to the trial as the court was informed that Adelakun was dead.

The court, however, ordered the defendant to produce a death certificate as evidence “or an affidavit of death for authentication.”