Again, Judgment Stalled In Igbinedion's Case

SAN FRANCISCO, April 17, (THEWILL) – Justice J. Liman of the Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo state, has again moved judgment in the N25 billion fraud trial of Michael Igbinedion and Charles Eboigbodin to Monday April 20, 2015, citing the extended Easter break of judges. The new date was communicated to parties concerned as the court failed to sit today, the EFCC said in a statement Friday.

The development is coming barely a month after Justice Liman promised there would to be no further delay in delivering the ruling which has suffered several adjournments since January 30, 2015, when the case was first fixed for judgment.

THEWILL recalls that on March 10, 2015, counsel had to re-adopt their earlier adopted written addresses in line with the constitutional provision that, “after 90 days of adopting written addresses, if judgment is not delivered, the judge can summon the parties to re-adopt”.

Igbinedion, Eboigbodin and their companies: Gava Corporation Limited; Romrig Nigeria Limited; PML Securities Company Limited and PML Nigeria Limited, were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC on charges bordering on money laundering, misappropriation of funds, conspiracy and abuse of office.