The scheduled trial of a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria, for alleged $385,000 and N165,438,000.00 fraud was stalled yesterday before Justice Rahman Oshodi of an Ikeja Special Offences Court.
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When the matter came up, the defence counsel, Adebowale Kamoru, informed the court that the defendant had filed a motion, dated May 12, 2026, seeking two reliefs against the charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed against him.
The lawyer said the application followed the information the defendant received on Friday over a further forfeiture order.
Based on this, Kamoru sought two reliefs – first: the court should strike out the charge against the defendant. The defence argued that proceeding with the current charge after the forfeiture proceedings could amount to “additional forfeiture” against the defendant.
Second: he prayed the court to strike out the charge and compel the prosecution to provide documents and materials needed for the defence.
The submission led to argument and counter-argument between Kamoru and the prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed (SAN), over access to documents and the propriety of the reliefs the defence sought.
Justice Oshodi questioned the defence’s intention to pursue both reliefs, striking out the charge and requesting additional documents to defend the charge.
Responding, Kamoru averred that he intended to pursue all the reliefs he sought in the motion.
But Muhammed opposed the application, arguing that the parties were in court to begin the trial.
The defence lawyer stated that a witness from Zenith Bank was already in court and prepared to tender the statements of account, which had allegedly been served on the defence.
At that point, Justice Oshodi ordered both parties to resolve outstanding issues on the documents outside the courtroom.
The judge directed the defence to formally identify and request specific documents needed for the trial rather than making broad references to the pages as evidence.
Following both parties’ submissions, the court ordered that the prosecution would respond to the defence application after being served.
The matter was subsequently adjourned till May 20 for hearing and further proceedings in the trial.
The defendant had been arraigned before Justice Oshodi in February 24, last year.
Okhiria was arraigned on a seven-count charge bordering on alleged abuse of office, money laundering, and unlawful enrichment by a public official.
According to the EFCC, the offences contravene sections 332(1) and 332(3), Section 73(1), and Section 82(c) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
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