There was anxiety yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on whether or not the trial of the former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala and two others would begin today as directed by Justice L. Abass.
The? two other accused persons facing charges of conspiracy and official corruption are former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Senator Hosea Agboola and the Managing Director of Pentagon Engineering company, Mr. Olufemi? Babalola.
They were accused of official corruption of about N11.5billion during the administration of Alao Akala when they illegally awarded contracts without following laid down rules.
Indication emerged that the case might be transferred from the judge following a petition written against the judge by some members of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party?? (PDP), who alleged that the? judge would not be objective in the trial as he was a personal friend of the ex-governor.
Observers said that the case would either be transferred or be made to start.
An unconfirmed report said that Alao-Akala might be represented in court by his lawyer for some undisclosed reasons.
On October 13, this year, the judge granted bail to the accused in the sum of N500million for Alao-Akala and N300million for Agboola and Babalola respectively and adjourned the case till December 13, 14, and 15.
The trio? were also expected to provide sureties with landed properties in the Government Reserved Areas of Ibadan and swear to affidavits to that effect.
Explaining that the penalty for the accused persons if found guilty was between three and seven years in jail, Justice Abass held that only accused in crimes attracting? capital punishment could be denied bail.