By OLA AJAYI
IBADAN— THE corruption charges levelled against the former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State, and two of his aides by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has been transferred to another judge for a fresh trial.

The ex-governor, his Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters then, Senator Hosea Agboola and a private businessman, Femi Babalola were alleged to have mismanaged the sum of N115 billion during their tenure.

Shortly after the former governor and his aides were granted bail, the opposition in the state had alleged that the judge, Justice Mashood Abass and the ex-governor were close friends and that they did not have confidence that justice would be delivered as expected.

Instead of the judge, Justice Abass of the State High Court  to handle the case, it was heard before another judge, Justice  Akintunde Boade.

The accused were arraigned  in October on an 11-count charge but they were granted bail by Justice Abass.

At the sitting of the court yesterday, the lead counsel to the accused, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN frowned at the arbitrary transfer of the case from the previous court after the prosecution counsel, Godwin Obla had said he only got the wind of the transfer yesterday morning.

Though Fagbemi said he was ready to defend his clients before any judge in the state, he added that it was alien to law that a case would be transferred from a particular court without an application from any of the parties in the case.

He said, “a situation, whereby some people would sit somewhere to determine which judge hears which case is not in the best interest of the state christened the pace-setter state which should be the leading light”.

Akala’s counsel spoke glowingly about the new judge  that he was a master in his own court and would not be bothered by what his brother counsel had done.

He then pleaded that his clients be admitted on bail noting that his clients had demonstrated the same commitment during investigation by the anti-graft agency.

The prosecution counsel, obla did not object to the bail requested by Fagbemi saying the trial judge should use his discretion to determine whether the accused were entitled to it or not.

The judge then granted the accused on bail with the same conditions as granted by Abass.

The case was then adjourned to 20 and 22nd February 2012.