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An Oyo State High Court on Thursday reserved ruling in the applications filed by Abayomi and Abimbola, two children of the late Ogbomoso politician, Chief Samuel Akintola, for December 9, 2016.
The duo want Justice Aderonke Aderemi to disqualify herself from hearing a suit filed by Justice Ladiran Akintola, who wants the court to recognize him as a legal biological son of the late Chief Akintola.
But Abayomi and Abimbola alleged that the has been discreet communication between the claimant and Justice Aderemi, the judge handling the case.
They also want the court to recall five witnesses for cross-examination by their lawyer. The witnesses had earlier testified in the suit but without being cross-examined by the defence counsel.
Akintola’s counsel, Mr Biodun Abdul-Rahman, however described the application to recall witnesses as an abuse of court process, arguing that the court had looked into the merit of the application and struck it out, and that the applicant failed to cross-examine the witnesses on appearance.
“They were given all the opportunities to participate in the process but did not make use of them”, he argued.
Defense counsel, Olaseni Oyefeso, however argued that the application was filed on a different ground to satisfy the fair hearing needs of his clients, citing a Supreme Court judgment.
He, therefore, urged the court to mandate the five witnesses to appear again in the interest of fair hearing.
But Justice Aderemi adjourned ruling on the two applications to December 9, 2016.