An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure, the state capital, has ordered the Economic and Financial Crime Commission to prosecute the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr David Oleyeloogun, and others over alleged fraud.

The EFCC had earlier approached the court seeking the prosecution of the concerned lawmakers for allegedly involving in an alleged fraudulent practice.

The alleged fraud was said to have been committed in 2019 when the lawmakers were supposed to have attended a two-day seminar organised by the National Productivity Centre, Lagos, but they did not attend.

Aside Oleyeloogun, other defendants in the case include a lawmaker, Mr Felemu Bankole, and a member of staff of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Olusegun Kayode.

During the proceeding, the counsel for the defendants, Dr Remi Olatubora, asked the court to strike out the charges against his clients over the failure of the EFCC to comply with the practice direction of the state judiciary which made it compulsory for Federal Government agencies to get consent of the judiciary before they can prosecute in state courts.

However, the EFCC in its application through its counsel, Mr Fredrick Dibang, urged the court to grant the commission’s permission to prosecute the defendants in conformity with the practice direction of the judiciary.

In his ruling, the judge, Justice Adegboyega Adebusuyi, ordered the anti-graft agency to serve fresh charges against the defendants and fixed October 27, 2022 for hearing of the case.