By ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH, ONOZURE DANIA & MICHAEL OLADEPO

LAGOS – The absence of Mr. Lekan Kasali, a former Director of Bank PHB,(now Keystone Bank), who was charged alongside  former Managing Director of the bank, Mr Francis Atuche, yesterday stalled further hearing of the N7.2 billion fraud suit brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

EFCC had accused Atuche and Kasali of allegedly stealing the money belonging to the bank.

When the matter came up before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, Mr. Chris Eme, who represented Kasali, informed the court that his client was indisposed and on admission in the hospital.

Apologizing, Eme said it was Kasali’s state of health that necessitated his absence from the court. While tendering a letter from the hospital as a proof, he said, “My lord, the second defendant is presently ill and is on admission in the hospital. My lord will notice from the court records that he has never been absent from proceedings. On the basis of his ill-health, I will be craving the court’s indulgence for a short adjournment.”

Accepting the request for adjournment, counsel to EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, said he could not oppose the call for adjournment since he could confirm that the second defendant had never been absent from proceedings.

Atuche’s counsel, Mr Deji Sasegbon, SAN, did not object to the application for adjournment.