IGP Wants Transfer Of Case Against Akintoye To Lagos.

General of Police is urging the Federal High Court in Abuja, to order the transfer of the trial of the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Duport Midstream Company Limited, Akintoye Akindele, to the Lagos division of the Federal High Court.

Akindele and his company are standing trial on a four-count criminal charge bordering on alleged diversion of the sum of $5 million dollars belonging to Summit Oil International Limited while, the two defendants, in the suit were committed the act between 2017 and 2021, when they allegedly converted the said sum received from Shell into personal use.

While the defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges, Akindele was granted bail in the sum of N750 million, while, at the last sitting, trial judge, Justice James Kolawole Omotosho had ordered Akindele’s remand at the Kuje prison, Abuja, pending the confirmation of the perfection of his bail.

Justice Omotosho had declined an oral application by police counsel, Mr Simon Lough, SAN, to transfer the trial to Lagos on the grounds that such applications must be through affidavit evidence and that the defendants be also served and respond accordingly, adding that, the request was predicated on the grounds that the evidence of the charge occurred in Lagos and that the witnesses are in Lagos.

The senior lawyer, who stated that the motion was supported by a 10-paragraph affidavit said the plaintiff is relying on the case of Belgore versus the Federal Republic of Nigeria, wherein the apex court in its judgment set aside the conviction of the appellant on grounds of territorial jurisdiction.

He informed the judge that, the judgment of the trial court which found the defendant guilty of money laundering was upheld by the Court of Appeal, but on getting to the apex court, and the appellant raised the issue of jurisdiction, which was upheld and the apex court nullified his conviction.