NIGERIA (Lagos)- A Court sitting in Lagos has adjourned till March 17, the trial of Adeyemi Ikuforiji, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

While giving his verdict on Tuesday, Justice Ibrahim Buba said the trial would be moved to enable Rt.Hon. Ikuforiji’s new lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, familiarize himself with the facts of the case.

Mr. Olanipekun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, announced his taking over of the case from a fellow senior counsel, Tayo Oyetibo, who would remain a part of the defence team.

“I have no alternative than to soberly appeal to your lordship to grant me an adjournment so I can study the file and also see how far I can assist the cause of justice.

“I have to put in my utmost best. Criminal trial is not an exchange of banters. It is serious business, and every proceeding is serious business,” he said.

The next adjourned date will mark exactly two years since the Speaker and his personal assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi, were arraigned over a multi million naira fraud.

The duo were first arraigned on March 1, 2012, before Justice Okechukwu Okeke on a 20-count charge of money laundering amounting to N500 million.

 Justice Okeke, handed over to Justice Buba after the former’s retirement last year.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, promptly amended their charges to 54 counts of money laundering amounting to over N600 billion.

The Commission accused the Speaker and his aide of receiving the money from the Lagos State House of Assembly without passing through a financial institution.