The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday arraigned the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, for alleged corruption.
Charged along with the speaker is his Personal Assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi.
They are facing an amended 20- count charge at a Federal High Court, Lagos.
The EFCC alleged that the defendants had sometime between April 2010 and July 2011 conspired and accepted various cash payments amounting to N503 million from the House without going through a financial institution.
Ikuforiji and his aide were initially charged before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in December 2011, but the judge later opted out of the case.
The case was re-assigned to another judge in the court, Justice Okechukwu Okeke.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday, Counsel to the EFCC, Mr Godwin Obla told the court that the prosecution was ready to go on with the trial and demanded that the charges should be read to the defendants.
Counsel to the defendants, Mr Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), however, did not object to the prosecution’s insistence to go on with the case.
Oyetibo urged the court to grant bail to the speaker and his aides on self-recognition as the third citizen of Lagos State and as the speaker’s aide.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In his ruling, Justice Okeke, granted bail to Ikuforiji on self-recognition, but asked the speaker’s aide, Atoyebi, to produce a surety before being granted bail.
NAN also reports that the Clerk of the House, Mr Segun Habiru, stood as surety for Atoyebi.
The case has been adjourned to March 26 for trial.
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