By Our Reporter
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has ordered the trial in absentia of three former employees of Brila Broadcasting Services Limited who are facing a ₦100 million fraud charge filed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.
The defendants — Akakan Victor Mkpong Sam, Blessing Sunday Ekerete, and Anthony Babafemi Raji were billed for arraignment on Friday, November 7, 2025, but failed to appear in court.
This was the second time they had failed to attend proceedings, having also been absent on October 23, 2025, when the case was earlier scheduled for arraignment.
At Friday’s proceedings, the prosecution was represented by Clinton Olly, while O. Umor, Oluwaromiti Abraham, and Lateef Arigbabuwo appeared for the three defendants respectively.
The prosecutor informed the court that the defendants had been duly served with the charge.
Counsel for the defendants, however, told the court that their clients were unable to attend because they were ill.
They presented medical reports to support their claims, with the third defendant’s lawyers adding that his client had already traveled abroad for treatment before the police filed the charges.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation, questioning the coincidence of all three defendants being sick at the same time despite the pending criminal case against them.
Consequently, the judge ordered that the matter proceed in their absence and adjourned the case to December 4, 2025, for arraignment in absentia.
In the charge marked FHC/L/530/2025, counts one to four accuse the three defendants of conspiracy, fraud, and money laundering. The fifth count, which pertains solely to the third defendant, Anthony Babafemi Raji, alleges that he used social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter), to bully, threaten, and harass Brila FM’s founder, Dr. Larry Izamoje.
The charge states:“That you, BABAFEMI RAJI ‘M’, sometime in 2024 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly or intentionally transmit or cause the transmission of messages via the internet such as Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), etc., with which you bullied, threatened or harassed DR. LARRY IZAMOJE ‘M’, thereby putting him in fear of death, violence or bodily harm and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 24(2)(3)(a & b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended) 2024.”
The court will continue the trial on December 4, 2025.