Ebun Francis|
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, directed the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to ensure the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in the September 22, 2018 election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, and four others charged with examination malpractices, were brought to court for arraignment on October 31.
The court presided over by Justice I.E Ekwo, who fixed October 31 for the arraignment gave the directive following the absence of the Senator at Monday’s hearing.
“The prosecution is ordered to ensure the defendants are in court at the next date, to take their plea,” the judge ruled.
The IG, through the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Simon Lough, had on September 19, 2018, filed four counts of examination malpractices against Adeleke and his four co-accused.
The prosecution accused the five defendants of committing examination malpractices by fraudulently, through personation, registering Adeleke and another Sikiru Adeleke, as students of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School, in Ojo-Aro in Osun State, for the National Examination Council’s June/July 2017 Senior School Certificate Examination in February 2017.
Charged by the police alongside Adeleke were, Sikiru Adeleke; the principal of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School, Alhaji Aregbesola Muftau; the registrar of the school, Gbadamosi Ojo; and a teacher in the school, Dare Samuel Olutope.
Lawyer to Adeleke, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), informed the judge that he is not in court because of ill health.
Izinyon said, “His Personal Assistant informed me yesterday (Sunday) that he was indisposed because he was stooling.
“He sent a sent medical report to that effect.”
Izinyon said he had served the medical report, showing his client was on medication, on the prosecution.
He pleaded with the court to grant a short adjournment to enable the first defendant to recover.
The prosecuting counsel, Lough, acknowledged that the medical report had been served on him and urged the court to grant a short adjournment.