The absence of Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday stalled the trial of Aliyu Abdulhameed, former Managing Director, Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending Plc.

The matter, which was on number two on the day’s cause list, could not proceed as Mr Ekwo was said to be in another official engagement.

The case was subsequently fixed for November 25 for commencement of trial.

Mr Abdulhameed and his co-defendant, Babangida Abdullahi, were arraigned on March 13 on a 10-count charge before the judge but pleaded not guilty to the counts.

They were, however, admitted to terms of administrative bail earlier granted to them by the police.

The criminal charge, dated and filed November 28, 2023, by CSP Celestine Odo, Legal/Prosecution Counsel of the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, was marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/555/2023.

In the charge, the defendants and others now at large were alleged to have, about October 23, 2023, conspired among themselves to commit an offence of forgery.

In count two, the defendants and others now at large, sometime in October 23, 2023, were alleged to have conspired among themselves to commit the offence.

The offences are said to be contrary to Section 3(6) and punishable under Section 1(2){c} of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap. M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari on December 1, 2022, fired Mr Abdulhammed on allegations of corruption bordering on agricultural loans.

A $500 million non-bank financial institution, NIRSAL, is a creation of the Central Bank of Nigeria mandated to manage agribusiness-related credit risks in Nigeria.

(NAN)