The scheduled money laundering trial of a Lagos automobile dealer, Sarumi Babafemi, alias 606, was stalled on Wednesday as the prosecution failed to bring its witnesses to court.

Babafemi, alongside his companies – 606 Autos Limited; 606 Music Limited; and Splash Off Entertainment Limited – is facing five counts of money laundering before the Federal High Court in Lagos.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission accused him of laundering a total of N207.1m between 2013 and 2018.

But the auto dealer and his firms pleaded not guilty to the charges.

At the scheduled trial on Wednesday, the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Mr Ayanfe Olufemi, told Justice Rilwan Aikawa that the prosecution witness coming from Sokoto State could not make it to court.

He pleaded with the judge to grant him a short adjournment.

While conceding to the adjournment, the defence counsel, Dr Muiz Banire (SAN), urged Justice Aikawa to make the prosecutor undertake to bring his witness to court on the next adjourned date.

Justice Aikawa adjourned the matter till March 12.

In the charges, the EFCC accused Babafemi of transferring N37.6m to one Omojadesola Allison; N93m to one Olanrewaju Oriyomi; N1.5m to one Abiola Ayorinde, alias ABK; N25m to one Bartholomew Ezeudoka; and N50m to one Amobi Uchenna.

The EFCC said he “ought to have reasonably known that such funds form part of an unlawful act, to wit: obtaining money by false pretence.”