Judge Threatens To Jail Obanikoro Over Failing To Testify Against Fayose

The Former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, has been threatened by Justice Mojisola Olatoregun after failing to appear before the federal high court in Ikoyi to testify against the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.

The N2.2bn fraud trial of Fayose was postponed on Thursday due to the absence of the prosecution’s star witness, Musiliu Obanikoro.

The prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, that Obanikoro, who was in court only on Tuesday testifying against Fayose, had been hospitalized.

Rotimi Jacobs presented to the court a medical report from an Ikoyi hospital, stating that Obanikoro was unwell.

Upon receiving the report with misgivings, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun said it had better been genuine or the hospital and the doctor that issued it risked the loss of their licenses, if the court verified the report and it was not genuine.

While adjourning the case till March 18, Justice Olatoregun said Obanikoro must unfailingly come to court, or risked being committed to prison for three months, “so that he can be coming to court in Black Maria.”

“He must present himself before the court on the next adjourned date or be compelled to do so,” Justice Olatoregun stressed.

Obanikoro is testifying against Fayose, who was his ally in the Peoples Democratic Party before he (Obanikoro) decamped to the ruling All Progressives Congress.