Court Adjourns Arraignment Of Lawyer, Son, For Alleged Fraud

By Aishat Oyebamiji

Justice Maurine Onyetenu of the Osun state Federal High Court, Osogbo, has adjourned the arraignment of an old lawyer, Barrister Matthew Ayelaagbe Laogun, and his son, Barrister Ayodele Adelaja Laogun, to January 30, 2019 for alleged fraud.

The Prosecutor, O/C Legal, Zone XI Police Headquarter, James Olajide Famuyini, told the court that the police has power to prosecute the matter.

He said the insistence of the state Ministry of Justice to take over the matter was not in the interest of justice and the plaintiff.

But, the court dismissed the letter brought by the prosecutor from the police guaranteeing him to prosecute the case.

The Judge insisted that only a letter written from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation can prevent him from handing over the matter to the state Attorney General.

Meanwhile, the complainant raised his hand and told the court that he lacked confidence in the ministry of justice which he said had prosecuted him on trumped up charges on the same case.

He explained that he purchased a piece of land from the duo of the defendants and another person who claimed to be the owner of the land collected another money from him.

He said he later met the original owner of the land who has the C of O and he paid for the third time on the land.

The complainant informed the court that the original owner of the land had written a disclaimer letter to deny the defendants who sold the land to him.

Justice Onyetenu however directed the prosecutor to write the Attorney General of the Federation to seek permission for continuous prosecution of the matter.

She adjourned the matter to January 30, 2019 to take the plea of the defendants.