By Onozure Dania

THE absence  of  presiding Magistrate Omolola Omotosho of the Lagos Magistrates’ Court, Igbosere, has stalled the trial of the son of a foremost industrialist, late Chief Abdul-Rasak Sanusi Suleiman Sanusi, who is standing trial before the court on charges of alleged illegal possession of firearms and disobedience of court order under Sections 4 of the Firearms Act, 2004, as well as section 104 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

The matter which has suffered several adjournments for about two years now, could not go on due to the absence of the trial magistrate. At the resumed hearing of the matter, Wednesday, June 28, 2017, the court registrar came to announce that the court will not be sitting, after parties had already sat down waiting for the matter to be called.

Children of the late business mogul have been at loggerheads since 2002 over their father’s last will.

Though there was no reason given as to why the court did not sit, the registrar only said that he was instructed to adjourn all the matters before the court till July 12. Sulaiman alongside two of his siblings, Risikat Olusanya and Ganiyat Sanusi in 2002, had filed a suit ID|904M|2002 against their late father’s appointed estate executors, Abdul-Mojeed Sanusi, Falilat Sanusi-Lawal, and Bilikisu Sanusi.

Contempt of court

The claimants had accused the executors of mismanagement of their father’s estate before Justice Williams-Dawodu.

In a 2006  ruling in the matter, the judge ordered Suleiman to surrender all documents relating to the estate in his possession, adding that the respondents should resume joint management of the estate in line with their late father’s will, to which he had flagrantly refused and is being also tried for contempt of court.

She had also ordered the executors to submit report of stewardship to the court.  The criminal charges stem from the bitter tussle which has been raging in the family since the demise of their father.

The late Alhaji Sanusi until his death over 19 years ago bequeathed his properties and companies comprising Sanusi Brothers Nigeria Ltd, Sanusi Steels Industries Ltd, Sanusi Rubber Works Ltd, Nigeria Industries Products Agencies and Global Stars Nigeria Ltd, (formerly Sambros International Ltd) to at least 22 of his children.

Also included in the will prepared by the late Chief F.R.A Williams were Alhaji Sanusi’s five wives, Alhaja Suwebath, Alhaja Simbiat, Alhaja Adikatu, Alhaja Rasheedat and Alhaja Musilat. Since the execution of the will, the Sanusi siblings have been engaged in family war over the management of their father’s estate.

The defendant was first   arraigned before Magistrate Adeola Adedayo, before the case file was transferred to Omotosho, by the state Chief Judge, Justice Olufunmulayo Atilade, after Mrs. Adedayo declined hearing the case.