Agency Report
Arraignment of the Chief Executive Officer of Golden Tulip Hotel, Amaechi Ndili, was on Wednesday stalled at an Ikeja Special Offences Court.
Also, the court has ordered that the case file should be returned to the Office of the Chief Judge of Lagos State for reassignment.
Justice Sherifat Solebo gave the order due to her approaching retirement which may hinder completion of adjudication of the case.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ndili, 52, is also the Managing Director of Lionstone Offshore Services Ltd.
His co-defendant, Njide Ndili, the Executive Vice-President of Lionstone Offshore Services Ltd., was absent at proceedings allegedly due to ill-health.
They were to be arraigned alongside their company (Lionstone Offshore Services Ltd.) on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.
On Wednesday, defence counsel, Mr Ebun Sofunde (SAN), told the court that Njide was in a hospital receiving medical attention.
Presenting a medical certificate from a private hospital to validate his claim, Sofunde prayed for an adjournment to give Njide time to recover and appear in court for her trial.
Reacting, prosecution counsel, ACP Simon Lough (SAN), expressed dismay over the development.
He urged the judge to dismiss Sofunde’s submission, describing it as an antic to frustrate commencement of the trial.
Lough said that the case had suffered setbacks in the last seven years it was instituted.
He said that the medical certificate presented to the court by defence contravened Section 198 of Administration of Criminal Law of Lagos State.