The scheduled arraignment of Reverend Dr. Israel Akanji, the former resident Pastor of the First Baptist Church, Garki, Abuja over an alleged N620 million fraud was stalled on Thursday owing to the absence of the lawyer for the prosecution.

Rev. Akanji was to be arraigned before Justice J. A. Aina of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Kwali on a five-count charge filed by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

In the charge, marked: CR/1045/24, Akanji and five othera are alleged to have engaged in conspiracy, forgery and criminal misappropriation of church funds to the tune of N620 million.

Listed along with Rev. Akanji as defendants in the charge are Rev. Thomas Takpatore, Babatunde Adebayo, Mrs. Adenike Adebayo, Oladele Afolabi and Mrs. Gloria Olotu

Some counts in the charge read:

*That you Rev. Dr. Israel Akanji, male (63 years), former Resident Pastor of First Baptist Church Garki Abuja; Rev. Thomas Takpatore; Mr. Babatunde Adabayo, Mrs. Adenike Adebayo, Mr. Oladele Afolabi and Mrs. Gloria Ototu (who are now at large) on or between 2012 and 2021 did misappropriate the sum of N620,004,000.00 property of First Baptist Church Garki, Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 308 and punishable under section 309 of the Penal Code.

At the mention of the case on Thursday, Justice Aina said the court received a letter from the prosecution, seeking an adjournment on the grounds that it was engaged at the National Assembly.

Defence lawyer, Adeniyi Akintola (SAN) told the court that his client?s were not served with the prosecution?s letter for adjournment.

Akintola added that his clients have filed an application seeking to quash the charge.

He expressed surprise at the prosecution?s absence and said that the degence was ready to proceed with the hearing of the case.

Ruling, Justice Aina held that since the prosecution?s letter was properly before the court, it was proper to grant the adjournment in the interest of justice.

The judge added that the proper thing to do was for the prosecution to serve the defence with the letter.

Justice Aina then adjourned till May 27, 2025 for arraignment. (The Nation)

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