A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday adjourned until February 12, the continuation of trial of a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide, and others facing charges of N650 million fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on January 16, 2018, first arraigned Mrs. Akinjide.

She was arraigned along with former Senator Ayo Adeseun, and a Peoples Democratic Party’s chieftain, Olarenwaju Otiti, before Justice Muslim Hassan on a 24-count of the alleged fraud.

Also named in the charge is former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, said to be “at large.”

The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

However, following an application filed by the defendants, the case was transferred to a new judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke.

At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the prosecutor, Usman Buhari, informed the court of some motions filed by the defence counsel and that he had replied to the motions filed by first and second defendants but had yet to respond to that of the third defendant, and pleaded for an adjournment to enable him to do so.

The court accordingly granted his request and adjourned the hearing until February 12.

The defendants were accused of conspiring to take possession of N650 million and to have received the money from the former Mrs. Alison-Madueke in the build-up to the 2015 general elections.

The money was considered a part of $115 million allegedly disbursed by the ex-petroleum minister to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.