Former Executive Director of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (I.A.R&T), Ibadan, Oyo State Professor Benjamin Olufemi Ogunbodede and two others were on Tuesday dragged to court over an alleged N204 million fraud by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC).

Their arraignment was however stalled as the ex-director was not in court due to ill-health.

Following petitions against the embattled former I.A.R&T boss and his subsequent resignation after a seven months strike action embarked upon by all the staff unions of the agricultural research institute, the anti-graft agency had dragged Ogunbodede, before the Oyo State High Court 14 sitting in Ibadan and presided over by Justice O.I Aiki.

Other accused in a eight- count charge with suit number 8/ICPC/2013 and which borders on alleged misappropriation of over N204million were the Chief Accountant of the institute, Mr. Zaccheaus Kola Tejumola and Mr. Omitowoju Jalekun.

However, at yesterday’s sitting of the court, both Tejumola and Jalekun were present in the court, but Ogunbodede was not in court on account of illness.

His counsel, Yinka Agboola, who held brief for Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), informed the court that his client could not come to court because he was not medically fit.

The lead counsel of ICPC, Miss Adeniyi, thereafter, asked for a short adjournment to enable the embattled former I.A.R&T Executive Director to appear before the court for arraignment.

Justice Aiki later adjourned the case till Thursday, November 28, 2013 for the arraignment of the three accused persons.