A Federal High Court in Lagos last Thursday adjourned till March 14, further hearing in the case filed against the former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Raymond Omatseye.

The EFCC is prosecuting Omatseye on an 11-count charge of alleged corruption.

He is alleged to have transferred 300,000 pounds from the agency’s account to his personal accounts.

It also alleged that Omatseye used his position to split tenders, to evade his official limit on what he could approve and awarded contracts to ten companies.

At the resumed hearing of the case last Thursday, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Christopher Okpe, told the court that he was holding brief for Mr Godwin Obla, who is the original prosecutor in the matter.

“Mr Obla is the one that has the fiat to prosecute the matter and he has asked that the matter should be adjourned because he is in Abuja for another matter,’’ he said.

The Defence Counsel, Mr Olusina Sofola, however, urged the court to order Mr Okpe to continue with the case since he had come to represent the prosecution.

“We are anxious to conclude this case and prove the innocence of my client,’’ he said.

Justice Binta Nyako, however, ruled that since Mr Obla had sent word that he wanted to prosecute the case himself, his request should be granted.

She consequently adjourned the case to March 14, for the defence to cross-examine a witness.