A drama unfolded at the Kwara State High Court on Thursday during the continuation of a hearing in a N5.78 billion case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against former governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and his former Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Banu. The two defendants were present in court, but the proceedings were halted due to a disagreement between the defense counsels and the EFCC team over improperly paginated documents tendered as exhibits.
The dispute centered on the arrangement of documents served to the defense team and those presented to the court. Rotimi Jacobs, the EFCC’s counsel, had tendered the documents to be admitted as exhibits, but the defendants’ lead counsel, Kamaldeen Ajibade, argued that the documents differed from those served on them and were not properly arranged or numbered. Jacobs maintained that the documents were the same, and it was not his team’s duty to number them for the defense.
After reviewing the documents and listening to both parties, Presiding Judge Justice Mahmud Gafar agreed with the defense counsel that the documents needed to be properly arranged. The case was adjourned until February 16, 2026, to allow the EFCC’s legal team time to organize the documents. In an interview with journalists, Ajibade explained that the request for proper arrangement was necessary for “proof of evidence” in the criminal matter. Jacobs conceded to the request in the spirit of fairness, acknowledging that while it was not their duty to number the documents, they would do so to facilitate the proceedings.
The N5.78 billion case against Ahmed and Banu is part of the EFCC’s efforts to combat financial crimes and corruption in Nigeria. The commission has been actively pursuing cases against high-profile individuals and public officials accused of mismanaging public funds. The adjournment of the case until February 2026 will allow the EFCC to reorganize the documents and present them to the court in a more orderly manner, ensuring a smoother trial process. The outcome of this case will be closely watched, as it may set a precedent for future corruption cases in Nigeria.
