Just days after presenting an oral application to withdraw bribery charges against Akintoye Akindele, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Duport Midstream Company Limited, the Police reversed its decision and announced its intention to proceed with the trial. This development occurred before Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Akindele is currently facing trial on a one-count charge of bribing a Police officer to compromise the investigation into the alleged diversion of $5,636,397.01 belonging to Summit Oil International Ltd.
In the previous hearing, the Police had orally requested to withdraw the N150 million bribery case against Akindele. However, the trial judge refused the oral application, directing the prosecution to submit a written motion for withdrawal. The court then adjourned the hearing to December 12 to consider the motion.
During the last session, Akindele’s defense did not oppose the withdrawal of the charge but urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendant. On the contrary, counsel to Summit Oil International Ltd (the Complainant), Bankole Akomolafe, SAN, vehemently opposed the application, questioning the lack of reasons for the unexpected withdrawal attempt by the Police.
In Tuesday’s proceedings, the prosecution, represented by Godwin Titus Nev, informed the court that, after reviewing the case’s facts, they decided not to withdraw the charge. The prosecution then requested a trial date for the accused.
In response, the defense counsel, Mrs. Funmi Quadri, SAN, sought the court’s permission to move an application for the release of the defendant’s international passport, as he needed to travel abroad for medical treatment. Quadri assured the court that her client would return to continue the trial and emphasized that the medical issue could not be adequately addressed in Nigeria.
While the prosecution opposed the release of Akindele’s passport, citing another charge at the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Osho-Adebiyi, in a bench ruling, granted the request. The judge ruled that the passport would be released under the condition that two sureties, one being the defendant’s wife in Nigeria and the other a sibling with the same surname, deposit their passports with the court. The sureties also had to provide a written undertaking to be held responsible if the defendant failed to return for trial. The court adjourned the case until February 28 for further proceedings.
