NIGERIA (Oyo)-The Court of Appeal in Ibadan on Wednesday reserved judgment on the appeal filed by a former governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, against the N11.5 billion fraud suit instituted against him by the EFCC.

The presiding judge, Justice Monica Dongban- Mensem, said the court would communicate the judgment date to counsel for the parties involved in the matter.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Alao-Akala, a former commissioner in the state, Sen. Hosea Agboola, and a business man, Olufemi Babalola, had filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal against the suit.

Counsel for Alao-Akala and Babalola, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had urged the court to allow the appeal, saying the prosecutor had no substantive material to connect the accused with the offences allegedly committed.

The counsel for Agboola, Richard Ogunwole (SAN), also told the court that no case had been established against his client and pleaded that his name should be removed from the charge.

But counsel for EFCC, Mr Godwin Oblah, urged the court to dismiss the appeal of the accused, saying it was misleading.

NAN recalls that Alao-Akala and others had appealed the Dec. 12, 2012, ruling of Justice Akintunde Boade of the Oyo State High Court which indicted them.

They were accused of awarding contracts without budgetary provisions and obtaining by false pretence.

Each accused had, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.