Breaking: Court Dismisses Exam Malpractice Case Against Senator Adeleke

The alleged examination malpractice case against Senator Ademola Adeleke has been dismissed by a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The charges against him were dismissed on Friday by Justice Inyang Ekwo.

Justice Ekwo in his ruling on Friday said he took the decision following the prosecution’s decision to withdraw charges against him.

The judge noted that the trial of the other four co-defendants in the case, who were re-arraigned on Thursday on a seven-count amended charge would however proceed.

Adeleke contested the September 22, 2018 governorship election in Osun State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and came second.

It will be recalled as previously reported by Naija News that the prosecuting counsel, Simon Lough, told the court on Thursday 28th May that they would want to discontinue the case against Adeleke.

He noted that the decision is based on Adeleke’s continued absence from court since the court granted him permission to embark on a medical trip abroad in May 2019 so that his absence would not continue to stall the case.

It will be recalled that others arraigned with Adeleke were Sikiru Adeleke; the principal of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School, Alhaji Aregbesola Muftau; the registrar of the school, Gbadamosi Ojo; and a teacher in the school, Dare Samuel Olutope.

The prosecution accused the five defendants of committing the offence of examination malpractices by fraudulently, through impersonation, registering Adeleke and another Sikiru Adeleke, as students of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School, in Ojo-Aro in Osun State, for the National Examination Council’s June/July 2017 Senior School Certificate Examination in February 2017.

It alleged that Ademola and Sikiru Adeleke were fraudulently registered for the examination and “awarded them seven credits, one pass, and five credits respectively.”

Defence lawyer, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), had on Thursday opted not to object to the prosecution’s decision to amend the charges but wanted the court to discharge and acquit his client.

Izinyon’s move was however opposed by the prosecution counsel.

After listening to both parties, Justice Ekwo announced his decision to rule on the disagreement between the two lawyers on Friday (today).

Justice Ekwo in his ruling on Friday has now dismissed the exam malpractice case against Senator Ademola Adeleke.