By OLA AJAYI
IBADAN—THE corruption charges preferred against  former governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, suffered setback, yesterday, as the state High Court declared illegal the appearance of a private counsel who stood in for the counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Chief Godwin Oblah.

Akala, one of his former aides, Senator Hosea Agboola and an Ibadan- based businessman, Mr. Femi Babalola, are standing trial over alleged N11.5 billion scam during the past administration in the state.

The case was earlier stalled when the counsel to the accused persons argued that the prosecution counsel was wrong to have asked another lawyer to represent him.

At the last sitting, EFCC counsel was represented in court by Otunba Olayinka Bolanle, but  Chief Mohammad Osman (SAN), told the court that he had no judicial power to represent the anti-graft counsel.

Bolanle told the court that he had been appearing along with Oblah since the commencement of the case and so he was qualified to represent Oblah.

In his ruling, Justice Akintunde Boade of court 2, ruled in favour of the defendants, saying the private counsel lacked the constitutional power to prosecute the accused persons since the fiat to prosecute the case was solely conferred on the lead counsel, Chief Oblah.