A Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has encountered several obstacles while trying business mogul, Chief Cletus Ibeto, over alleged N4.8 billion fraud and other offences.
Ibeto, who is the Chairman of Ibeto Energy Development Company, has stalled the trial by failing to show up in court several times.
The State Attorney-General also attempted to take over the case from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), but the anti-graft agency objected, saying it was an attempt to shield the defendant from appearing before the court.
He has managed to stall his trial by not appearing in court, despite the court issuing a bench warrant against him.
At the latest hearing, the trial judge, Justice Ismail Ijelu, informed the prosecutors that the case file had been requested by the Chief Judge, Justice Kazeem Alogba.
Justice Ijelu noted that the case cannot proceed until the Chief Judge decides on the various petitions challenging the jurisdiction of the court and accusing him of bias.
The EFCC charged Chief Ibeto and his companies, Ibeto Energy Development Company and Odoh Holdings Ltd, on a 10-count charge bordering on allegations of conspiracy, obtaining by pretence, fraud, forgery, and fraudulent use of documents.
Also Read: N4.8 Billion Fraud: EFCC Challenges Fugitive Businessman, Ibeto’s Appeal to Flee Justice
However, the planned arraignment of the defendant has been stalled on three occasions, September 28, October 5 and November 3, due to his failure to appear in court, given various excuses ranging from health challenges without a medical report, despite promises to produce him made from the Bar by various Senior Advocates of Nigeria who represented him.
The accused person’s continued absence prompted Justice Ijelu to accede to the prosecution’s request on November 3, 2023, to order the arrest of the businessman for allegedly refusing to appear to take his plea despite many undertakings by his lawyers to produce him in court.
However, during the last proceeding on the matter on December 6, 2023, Lagos State Attorney-General Lawal Pedro informed the court that he was considering taking over the matter based on a petition written by the defendant to the Chief Judge of Lagos State but copied to his office.
The State’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Jide Martins, who represented the Attorney-General in court, also informed the court of a petition written by the law firm of Robert Clarke (SAN) seeking a review of the case file and the outright taking over of the case by the office of the Attorney-General.
However, the anti-graft agency, through its lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), had challenged the move, describing it as an attempt to scuttle the trial.
It will be recalled that Jacobs had told the Court of Appeal on January 15 that Chief Ibeto had approached the anti-graft agency seeking to enter into a plea bargain arrangement and pay back the money he allegedly obtained from the nominal complainant, Chief Daniel Chukwudozie. This paper learnt that Chief Ibeto has so far paid N1,000,000,000 (One Billion Naira) to the coffers of the Anti-graft Agency.
However, the defence lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), denied knowledge of the discussion; he told the appellate court that his client told him to continue with the appeal he filed to challenge the warrant of arrest issued against him by Justice Ijelu.
