Justice Ademola Bola of the Ondo State High Court on Monday announced his intention to withdraw from the alleged fraudulent case involving the vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Prof. Adebiyi Daramola and the Registrar, Mr. Ayodeji Oresegun.
Daramola, whose tenure ends in the next few weeks and Oresegun were first arraigned at the court on February 14, by the Economic and Financial Crimes commission (EFCC) over alleged N156.9million fraud.
The judge said he was transferring the case due to a petition against him by the FUTA Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
He informed the court that the matter has been transferred to court three, Criminal Division of the state High Court.
The judge noted that he transferred the case because of his integrity which will be at stake if he insisted on taking the matter.
Chairman of NASU, Comrade Bayo Aladetohun said the union decided to petition the Chief Judge due to the perceived bias of Justice Ademola.
He said the union believed that the oral application for the VC bail, granted by the judge was unethical.
According to him, the union lost confidence in the Justice Considering how he was handling the matter.
Aladetohun said the union were battle ready to pursue the case to a logical conclusion.
Counsel to EFCC, Dr. Ben Ubi, said it is the right of the Judge to transfer the case in order to protect his integrity.
He said, “the decision of the judge to hands off the case predicated upon the petition before the court, to my mind, can not be queried by anybody
“Reason is that he is entitled to protect his integrity and his opinion, if exercised, the way it’s been exercisewhich is Judiciary and judiciously, I think Is in order
“We urged the court to initially allow the proceedings before the court, but the court said on the basis of this petition, am transferring the case , so the case had been transferred and we are okay with it, so we will continue from there.”
Also, Counsel to the defendant, Adebayo Adenipekun, SAN, said the judge has the right to transfer the case so as to protect his integrity.
The matter was,however, adjourned till March 30th.
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