Justices absent at Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke’s appeal

By Onozure Dania

LAGOS — The appeal filed by a former Director General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Prof. Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke, was stalled yesterday, as the justices of the  Appeal court, Lagos were absent.

Okereke in her case is challenging the High Court’s assumption of jurisdiction in the N3.3billion alleged theft charge levelled against her by the Lagos State government.

She was accused of  stealing the money from the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Her lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, had told the trial judge, Justice Christopher Balogun, that the case was slated for hearing yesterday.

Okereke-Onyiuke had sought to stay proceedings in the matter pending the determination of the appeal.

However, while dismissing her application for a stay of proceedings pending the determination of the appeal, the Judge said that he would allow some time to enable the appeal to be heard before further proceedings on December 4.

However, the case did not  come up for hearing yesterday as the Court of Appeal justices were said to be absent.

The Lagos State government had filed two separate charges, claiming that Onyuike, her deputy, Alhaji Lance Musa Elakama and six others were allegedly stole N3, 301, 000,000 theft when she was head of the Stock Exchange.

The other defendants are Creative Financial Services Limited, Mining System Limited, OPDC Properties Limited, OAK Business and Finance Company Limited, Uzoma Henry Onyekuru and Kingdom Securities and Finance Company Limited.