By Innocent Anaba

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, adjourned indefinitely, the arraignment of former deputy governor of Lagos State, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu and her son, Sampson Ojikutu, charged with N130 million fraud.

The accused persons are facing a   three-count charge of conspiracy, fraud and stealing. The case which was slated for arraignment of the accused, was stalled, due to their absence.

When the case was called, the prosecutor, Mr Bukola Durojaiye, informed the court that the accused were absent, due to the inability of the police to secure their arrest.

He further told the court that the Special Fraud Unit, SFU, was making efforts, to ensure that the accused were produced to stand trial and asked for an adjournment, sine die (indefinitely), to enable the prosecution produce the accused for arraignment. The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Yunusa, consequently adjourned the case indefinitely.

”The application of prosecution is hereby granted, and the case is hereby adjourned sine die, to enable the prosecution make necessary arrangement for the arraignment of the accused,” the judge ruled.

In the charge, the accused were alleged to have committed the offence in September 2011.

They were alleged to have fraudulently obtained the sum of N130 million from one Cajetan Okekearu, under the pretence that they possessed a plot of land to sell at Lekki phase 1, Victoria Island Lagos.

It was further alleged that the accused obtained the said sum of money from the complainant, who later discovered that their claim of ownership of the land was false, as there was an already existing title to the land.

The offences are said to contravene the provisions of sections 1(a) (iii), and 8 (a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, Cap. A6, Laws of the Federation, 2004.