Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi of the Federal High Court, Osogbo on Wednesday warned lawyers representating the Special Adviser on Political Matter to Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, Alhaji Muniru Adebayo Raji in the case of defamation of character of Prince Adebayo Adeleke (BANIK) to stop making flimsy excuses for his absence in court.
The judge gave the warning, as Muniru again refused to show up to retake his plea, for the case has just been assigned to a new judge, following the transfer of Justice Ayo Emmanuel who was originally handling the matter.
Recalled that Muniru has accused BANIK of allegedly taking contract from the administration of the former Governor Olagunsoye Oyetole and ran away with the contract sum without executing the project, a situation that led to his arrest for defamation of character and subsequent arraignment before the court.
It would also be recalled that the state Attorney-General has offered to take over the matter, but the office of the Attorney-General for the Federation later overriden the state government and took over case for prosecution
Muniru had been subsequently arraigned and was on bail until the case was assigned to a new judge who has just been transfered to the state.
At the hearing of the case on Wednesday, neither Muniru, nor his lawyer, Naim Adekilekun was present in court, but a counsel, informed the court that he got a call from Naim earlier in the day that he should apologised to the court on his behalf.
According to him, “I got a call from Naim Adekilekun this morning that I should apologize to My Lord for his absence because he was not aware that the case is coming up today and his client too is not aware”.
In response, the presiding judge frown at making such flimsy excuses, saying, the court do not always accept it as the defendant should be more interested in the case than any other person because his liberty is at stake.
According to the judge, when lawyers are lumping the absence of counsel with that of defendant, the court alway feels bad about it, saying it amounts to encouraging them not to take the court serious.
The prosecution counsel, Mr Baokum Osei said he felt like applying for a bench warrant against Alhaji Muniru, but he decided not to do so for the purpose of giving him the second chance.
Noting that the excuse was not tenable, he acknowledged that with the adoption of technology, the court has made the dissemination of hearing notices very simple, and no lawyer in the present case would say he was not aware of the hearing.
Subsequently the presiding judge adjoulned the matter till March 5, 2025.