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Tag: Court

  • Metuh: Court strikes out Dasuki’s application against summon

    Metuh: Court strikes out Dasuki’s application against summon

    The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out an application by the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, seeking an order setting aside the subpoena directing him to appear in court to testify on behalf of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Olisa Metuh.

    The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, ruled that having been ordered by the Court of Appeal in Abuja on September 29, 2017, he lacked jurisdiction to hear and determine the motion on merit.

    He held that determining the motion on merit would amount to an attempt to review the judgment of a higher court, the Court of Appeal.

    He held that all issues raised by Dasuki, through his lawyer, Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), had become academic since the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the complaints.

    According to the judge, it would amount to “judicial anarchy” to hear Dasuki’s application on merit.

    “If the applicant(Dasuki) is dissatisfied, he should know what to do and where to go, but certainly not this court,” the judge ruled.

    But Dasuki, despite the subpoena issued on him upon Metuh’s application directing the Department of State Service to produce the detainee, is absent from court on Wednesday.

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan also ordered by the court to appear in court upon an application by Metuh was also absent.

    But a court registrar confirmed to the judge on Wednesday that Jonathan had yet to be served with the subpoena by the court bailiff as of Tuesday.

    But the Department of State Service in whose custody Dasuki is detained has yet to produce the ex-NSA in court.

    The judge had announced in court on Tuesday that he had, on Monday, issued a subpoena to be served on Jonathan.

    But the judge, who fixed Wednesday (today) for his ruling on Dasuki’s motion, had ordered that both the ex-NSA and Jonathan must appear in court on Wednesday (today).

    The two men were summoned by the court upon an application by Metuh requesting that they be ordered to testify in his defence with respect to the sum of N400m which he was said to have received fraudulently from the Office of the NSA in 2014.

  • Dasukigate: Former President, Goodluck Jonathan to appear in court today

    Dasukigate: Former President, Goodluck Jonathan to appear in court today

    Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja affirmed yesterday the order of subpoena compelling former President Goodluck Jonathan and a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, to appear in court today with respect to the trial of the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh.

    however, challenging the subpoena summoning him to appear in court today [Wednesday], Dasuki, through his lawyer, Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), told the court on Tuesday that it would be self-incriminating for him if he was made to testify in the case.

    Justice Abang, after hearing Raji as well as the prosecution and the defence, both of whom opposed Dasuki’s application on Tuesday, fixed Wednesday for ruling.

    But the judge insisted that despite Dasuki’s opposition to the motion, he (the ex-NSA) and Jonathan must appear in court on Wednesday.

    The judge ruled, “The outcome of the ruling will determine which step to take about the first subpoena (the one issue on Dasuki), but the orders compelling His Excellency, former President Goodluck Jonathan, and Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), to appear in court on Wednesday, October 25, 2017 at the instance of the first defendant (Metuh) still stand.”

    Justice Abang had issued separate subpoenas on Jonathan and Dasuki upon applications by Metuh, who had requested the two men to testify in his defence in his ongoing trial.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited, on seven counts of money laundering involving alleged cash transaction of $2m and fraudulent receipt of N400m meant for procurement of arms from the Office of the NSA.

    The prosecution alleged in the charges that Metuh and his firm used the N400m for the PDP’s campaign activities during the 2015 presidential election.

    The sum of N400m was alleged to be “part of the proceeds of unlawful activities” of the immediate past NSA, Dasuki.

    So far, most of the defence witnesses, including Mr. Ben Nwosu, who ended his testimony earlier on Monday, had insisted that the sum of N400m paid to the ex-spokesperson for the PDP from the Office of the NSA in November 2014, the money being part of the case against Metuh, was directly authorised by Jonathan.

    The defence legal team had insisted that given the roles which Jonathan and Dasuki played in the N400m transaction, both men were needed as witnesses in the case.

    Justice Abang, during the resumed hearing on Tuesday confirmed The PUNCH’s exclusive story published on Tuesday that he (the judge) had, in his chambers after the Monday’s proceedings, signed the subpoena to be served on Jonathan.

    Confirming the issuance of the subpoena, Justice Abang said on Tuesday that he received Metuh’s application for the summons to be served on the ex-President at about 3.59pm on Monday.

    The judge said, “Indeed, at the close of business yesterday (Monday) being October 23, 2017 precisely at about 3.59pm, the registrar forwarded to the court in chamber a subpoena to compel former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear in court to testify at the instance of the first defendant (Metuh).

    “Therefore, in line with Section 241(1) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, and having regard to the subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal in the appeal, CA/A/159C/2017, between Olisa Metuh and the Federal Republic of Nigeria dated September 29, 2017 to the effect that it will be tantamount to violating the right of the first defendant (Metuh) to fair hearing not to sign the subpoena, I have no option but to sign a subpoena to compel former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear in court on October 25, 2017 (Wednesday) to give evidence at the instance of the first defendant.”

    But while being interrogated by the judge on Tuesday, a registrar of the court said the bailiff of the court had yet to serve the subpoena on Jonathan as of Tuesday morning.

    The court official said the bailiff could not be reached after the judge signed the subpoena late on Monday.

    He said the bailiff had therefore promised to pick up the subpoena for service on Jonathan on Tuesday.

  • BREAKING: Court awards N2m against police in case involving Evans’ brother-in-law

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday entered judgment against the Nigeria Police Force in the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by one Mr. Okwuchukwu Obiechina said to be the brother-in-law of alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans.

    Justice Mohammed Idris, in a judgment on Monday, declared Obiechina’s arrest and detention and constitutional, holding that the remand order which the police claimed to have obtained from a magistrates’ court was invalid.

    Apart from ordering the police to immediately release Obiechina unconditionally or charge him to court if they have any case against him, the court also awarded N2m damages in his favour against the police.

    Justice Idris ordered the police to tender a public apology to Obiechina to be published in two national dailies.

  • Biafra: Sen Abaribe knows whereabouts of Nnamdi Kanu, FG tells court

    The Federal Government has insisted that Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe knows the whereabouts of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu and most produce him for trial.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Abaribe who is standing as surety for the embattled IPOB leader had filed an application seeking to withdraw his status as one of the sureties for Kanu.

    However, the federal government, in its counter-affidavit and written address filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja to oppose Abaribe’s request, told Abaribe that Kanu was in his custody and he had to produce him for the continuation of his trial.

    It stated in its counter-affidavit that Abaribe was aware that Kanu “has long violated the bail conditions handed down by this honourable court” on April 24, 2017 before September 11 when he claimed to have lost contact with the defendant.

    The counter-affidavit read in part, “That it was at this point at violating the conditions at the bail that the senator surety ought to surrender the 1st defendant and or bring up this application; “That this application is belated and ill-timed;

    “The applicant failed to apply to the court timeously, stating on oath that the defendant bound by recognizance to appear before this court had violated the bail condition given by this court.”

    The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Shuaibu Labaran, argued in the written address that Abaribe “failed woefully” by allegedly aiding and abetting Kanu to flout his bail conditions.

    The written address stated, “My lord, the surety has failed woefully to abide by the terms of the contract he entered into with this court and therefore cannot claim frustration.

    “My lord, we urge that the court hold, that surety having refused to do what he ought to have done pursuant to section 174 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 aided and abetted the 1st defendant in the flouting of the bail conditions of this court and should forfeit the bond he entered into.”

    Denying that Kanu was not in the custody of the Nigerian Army, the Federal Government stated in its counter-affidavit that the defendant remained in Abaribe’s custody.

    “That the military activities in Abia State tagged ‘Operation Python Dance II’ was a routine exercise in its second year carried out by the military at the end of every year.

    “That the 1st defendant is not in the custody of the Nigerian military or any other security agency in that regard.

    “That the 1st defendant is in custody of the applicant (Abaribe).”

    Kanu was absent from court when his case came up on October 17, 2017, but his co-defendants with whom he was being prosecuted on charges of treasonable felony were produced in court by prison officials.

    Abaribe’s lawyer, Ogechi Ogunna, informed the court of the motion by his client seeking to withdraw as Kanu’s surety but the judge said she would not hear it until the senator first produced the missing defendant.

    She gave Abaribe and the two other sureties up till November 20 to produce the defendant in court.

    Meanwhile, the Indigenous People of Biafra on Sunday insisted that the Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari knew the whereabouts of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

    It asked the government to produce Kanu without further delay in order not to provoke the group to go into armed conflict with the government.

    In a statement made available to our journalists in Awka, Anambra State by the group’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB accused Buhari and some leaders in the South-East geopolitical zone of conspiracy of silence on the issue.

    The statement read, “We are asking Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Nnia Nwodo and South-East governors to produce Nnamdi Kanu because they or their representatives all participated in countless meetings in Abuja and Enugu where the modus operandi of the genocidal Operation Python Dance II was agreed and ratified.

    “It was as a direct result of military invasion of the home of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and massacre of 28 innocent unarmed civilians with many missing that has led us to once again politely ask that our leader be presented to us dead or alive.

    “It is becoming clear to everybody that Muhammadu Buhari, Nnia Nwodo and South East governors are desperately trying to draw IPOB into armed confrontation and militancy to justify their genocidal clampdown on innocent people of the South-East and South-South.”

     

  • FG set to seize funds in accounts without BVN

    FG set to seize funds in accounts without BVN

    Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted a request by Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, for a temporary forfeiture of all funds held in bank accounts not linked to BVNs.

    The latter are accounts without sufficient know-your-customer credentials, PREMIUM TIMES has reported. .

    The order followed an originating motion of notice filed by Mr. Malami on behalf of the Nigerian government on September 28. Justice Dimgba granted all the nine reliefs sought by Mr. Malami —himself represented by a lawyer, Usman Dakas— on October 17.

    The court ordered all the 19 deposit money banks, DMBs, operating in the country to release to Nigerian government names of accounts not yet connected to BVN; account numbers; their outstanding balances; domiciling locations; and domiciliary accounts without BVN and where they are domiciled.

    Nigeria deposit money banks that were listed as respondents in the ex-parte suit are: Access Bank, Citi Bank, Diamond Bank, Ecobank, Fidelity Bank, First Bank and First City Monument Bank. Others are: Guaranty Trust Bank, Heritage Bank, Keystone Bank, Skye Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Sterling Bank, Union Bank and United Bank for Africa.

    The remaining three are: Unity, Bank Wema Bank and Zenith Bank. The court also ordered all of them to disclose any investments made with funds and to withhold authorisation for any outward inflow of funds from the accounts.

    All the details are to be submitted to Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, NIBSS, and the CBN for authentication.

    The banks were also directed to publish all bank accounts not linked to BVN in national newspapers with a 14-day notice for individuals with interest in such accounts to come forward and justify why their funds should not be forfeited to the Nigerian government.

    Mr. Dimgba also ordered the CBN, which was joined as 20th respondent alongside the 19 DMBs, to appoint an official who will examine all the details submitted to the apex bank for compliance. The government argued the matter under Section 3 of the Money Laundering Act, 2011.

    The section said banks must “ensure that documents, data or information collected under the customer due diligence process is kept up-to-date and relevant by undertaking reviews of existing records, particularly for higher risk categories of customers or business relationships.”

    The Bank Verification Number is a unique identification number that can be verified and used to transact business across all the banking platforms in Nigeria.

    The CBN imposed the policy to capture customers’ data for financial transactions and check fraud in the banking system. Registration for BVNs commenced on February 14, 2014, across the country.

    The CBN said over 20.8 million customers enrolled 40 million bank accounts before the October 31, 2015, final deadline for customers residing within the country.

    The CBN extended the deadline for Nigerians in the diaspora to December 2016 to sign up for the BVN system. But hundreds of thousands home and abroad are still believed to be left behind.

  • BREAKING: Kebbi Accountant General, Dakingari sentenced to 70 years imprisonment over N1.6bn Fraud

    The Court of Appeal Kebbi Division has sentenced a Kebbi State Accountant-General Mohammed Dakingari, to 70 years imprisonment after finding him guilty of N1.6bn fraud.

    The Court upturned the judgment of a Kebbi State High Court which discharged and acquitted a Kebbi State Accountant-General, Mohammed Arzika Dakingari, on charges of conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence preferred against him and one other by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

    He, among other things allegedly used his office as the Accountant-General, Kebbi State for personal enrichment to the tune of N1.6billion. Dakingari was charged alongside Musa Yusuf, Managing Director, Beal Construction Nigeria Limited; a company owned by him (Dakingari) and used in award various contracts to himself. Dakingari’s stake in Beal Construction Limited is contrary to civil service regulation which forbids serving officers from owning businesses.

    Findings by the EFCC at the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, showed that Mohammed Bashir Mohammed, Anwal Sadat and Nasir Mohammed, all sons of the Accountant-General, are directors of the company (Beal Construction), while two of his brothers, Abduallahi Mohammed and Habibu Mohammed are the other two directors. The construction company operates two accounts at EcoBank and Unity Bank with Dakingari and Yusuf as signatories to the accounts.

    However, Dakingari was discovered to operate with two signatures, one in his official capacity as Accountant-General of the state and the other as owner of Beal Construction Company Limited.

    Analysis of the accounts revealed a total credit of N1.3billion between May 2012 and September 2013, with most of the receipts coming from the Office of the Accountant-General and the Kebbi State Ministry of Finance. Some of the contracts executed for the state for which Beal Construction Company received huge payments included the supply of furniture to 66 secondary schools in Kebbi State valued at N987million; the connection of water and drainage system at Kebbi Central Mosque valued at N110million and the building and partitioning of Mohammed Maira Secondary School valued at N247million. Upon the conclusion of investigation, the EFCC filed a 20-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence and abuse of office against Dakingari and Yusuf. The trial court in its determination of the case convicted and sentenced Yusuf to six months imprisonment while it discharged and acquitted Dakingari.

    Dissatisfied, the EFCC approached the Court of Appeal asking it to set aside the judgment of the lower court and convict Dakingari as charged. The appellate court in its well considered judgment allowed the appeal by the EFCC, convicted and sentenced Dakingari to 70 years imprisonment each on 10 of the counts preferred against him by the anti-graft agency. The sentence is, however, to run concurrently.

  • Court bars IGP, Commissioner of Police from arresting Ecobank MD, Charles Kie

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday barred the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Edgar Imohimi from arresting the Managing Director of Ecobank Nigeria Limited Mr Charles Kie.

    Justice Muslim Hassan ordered that status quo be maintained until Kie’s motion on notice for an order of perpetual injunction stopping his arrest is heard and determined.

    Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Panti Mr Bolaji Salami and Managing Director of Emirates Fuel Exploration and Production Limited are the other respondents.

    The judge ruled on an ex-parte application by Kie and Ecobank argued on their behalf by Mr A. I. Olawoye of the firm of Punuka Attorneys and Solicitors.

    The lawyer alleged that armed policemen invaded Ecobank’s head office in a bid to arrest Kie.

    “They were there with a large battalion of officers, scaring customers away. The Managing Director is now scared of moving around freely,” he said.

    The lawyer said it was due to the bank’s refusal to transfer $10.5million (about N3.7billion) from the account of a customer, INT Towers Limited, to that of Emirates Fuel Exploration and Production, as ordered by a Lagos Magistrate, Mr W.B. Balogun.

    Justice Hassan held: “I have carefully read the application, the affidavit in support, the exhibits attached and the written address of learned counsel.

    “I am of the view that the interest of justice will be better served if the respondents are put on notice.

    “Meanwhile, status quo ante bellum should be maintained pending the determination of the motion of notice.”

    The applicants sought an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents or their agents “from harassing, oppressing, detaining, arresting and/or intimidating the applicants or their officers.”

    They also prayed the court to restrain the police from “interfering in any way with the personal liberty of the applicants or the smooth running of their business in any manner whatsoever that will breach the fundamental rights of the applicants pending the hearing of the originating motion”

    Olawoye said the application was based on the grounds that the police stormed Ecobank’s headquarters on September 28 to arrest Kie.

    “His movement has been constrained for fear of being arrested. It has affected his functions as Managing Director of the bank. He cannot move around with his security personnel who are policemen and thus he has been exposed to great security risk considering his position.

    “The respondents have continued to harass, oppress and intimidate the applicants by continuous threats to forcefully arrest and detain the first applicant (Kie) in further breach of the applicants’ fundamental rights.

    “The actions of the respondents are instigated by malice and bad faith and their actions are ultra vires and without due process,” the lawyer said.

    In an affidavit in support of the ex-parte motion, deposed to by a Litigating Officer in Ecobank’s Legal and Regulatory Unit, Adetoro Ojelabi, the bank said it received letters from the IGP requesting for information on an account being investigated for armed robbery, fraudulent act, obtaining money by false pretence and stealing.

    The bank said it was surprised when it received another letter of August 25 authored by DCP Salami asking it to transfer $10,500,000 from an account belonging to INT Towers to Emirates Fuel based on an order by a Magistrate’s Court.

    Ecobank said it was never served with court processes in the proceedings before the Magistrate Court, adding that the holder of the account was not made a party, even as the amount was far above the magistrate court’s jurisdiction, which is limited to N10million.

    Besides, the bank said the letter from the police which instructed it to transfer the money predates the Magistrate’s order, and that none of its officers was ever invited to clarify the claims.

    Ecobank claimed that the order “was secretly obtained against them” and that nobody was charged or convicted for any criminal allegation before the order was obtained.

    The bank said it filed an application seeking to set aside the order, a stay of execution and a motion for leave to appeal against the order.

    “To the total dismay of the applicants, officers of the respondents stormed the corporate headquarters of the bank to arrest the first applicant on the ground that he refused to comply with their instruction to illegally transfer the sum of $10,500,000 from a customer’s account to a third party account.

    “The policemen acting on the strict instruction of the respondents created a damaging scene at the corporate headquarters of the applicants and disrupted its business,” the deponent said.

    The applicants said the action of the police caused serious damage to the bank’s reputation, and that if not restrained, they would continue to violate their rights.

    Justice Hassan adjourned till November 9 for the hearing of the motion on notice.

  • Evans changes plea to `not guilty’ as court adjourns case to Nov 3

    Notorious kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a Evans, on Thursday, made a U-turn as he entered a plea of `not guilty’ as he was re-arraigned on a two-count amended charge of conspiracy and kidnapping at an Ikeja High Court.

    Evans had at his arraignment on Aug. 30 plead guilty to the charges, while other alleged accomplices — Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, the only female defendant, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba denied committing the offences.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that they were charged with the kidnap of Mr Donatius Duru on Aug. 30.

    The punishment section in the second count of amended charge was changed from Section 271 (3) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State to Section 2(1) of the Kidnap Prohibition Law of the Laws of Lagos 2017.

    According to the prosecution led by Ms. P.K. Shitta-bey, the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Evans and his accomplices committed the offence of conspiracy at 7.45 p.m. on Feb. 14 on Obokun Street, Ilupeju, Lagos.

    The prosecution said the defendants between Feb. 14 and April 12 at Obokun Street, Ilupeju, while armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, captured and detained Duru.

    The defendants allegedly collected a ransom of 223,000 euros for the release of Donatius.

    Before the amended charges were read to the defendants, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, the counsel to Evans and Amadi had opposed the reading of the charges to them.

    “On behalf of the first and second defendants, we were served with the amended charge this morning.

    “My Lord, we had earlier filed an application and the learned prosecutor also filed us a counter-affidavit, My Lord, grant us a very short date to `confer’ with the first and second defendants about this amended charge.

    “We intend bringing a motion after their plea, I urge your Lordship to grant us a very short date,” Ogungbeje pleaded.

    Mr Joseph Otogbolu, counsel to Uchechukwu, Mr A.A Uzokwu, counsel to Ifeanyi and Mr Emmanuel Ochai, counsel to Aduba, all aligned with the submission of Ogungbeje and asked for an adjournment to `confer’ with the defendants.

    Mr O. Ajanaku, counsel to Nwachukwu, however, did not oppose the reading of the amended charge to the defendants.

    “I am not opposing the charges being read to the defendants, the only change in the charge is just the law and the punishment section.

    “I am ready for the charge to be taken and to go on with the trial,” he said.

    Shitta-bey, however, opposed the request for adjournment by the counsel to the defendants.

    “I will be opposing the application for adjournment, the court should allow the charges to be read to them and their pleas taken.

    “Section 155(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State does not allow any formal application from the prosecution to amend charges.

    “All the court needs to do is to take fresh pleas from the defendants,” he said.

    The DPP also told the court that the state was ready to proceed with the trial and that three witnesses were already in court to testify.

    Justice Hakeem Oshodi stood down the case for 45 minutes till 11.45 a.m. to enable the counsel `confer’ with the defendants.

    NAN also reports that earlier, proceedings took an interesting turn when a dispute arose between Ogungbeje and Ajanaku after they had announced separate appearances to represent Nwachukwu, the fourth defendant.

    “We are the counsel in record for the fourth defendant, if a new counsel in form of my legal colleague is coming into this matter, he should have filed the proper applications.”

    Responding to Ogungbeje, Ajanaku said:“The last time this case came up, as a matter of expediency, my learned colleague appeared in court for some of the defendants in the case.

    “Not too long ago, I was approached by the family of the fourth defendant to stand in for him which he can attest to.

    “This is a criminal matter, if my learned friend is offended I apologise; I approached him this morning in court as I don’t know his address.”

    In resolving the issue, Justice Oshodi told the court that Nwachukwu should be asked who is his counsel of choice because under the law, a defendant in criminal matters is entitled to a counsel of his choice.

    When asked who was his preferred counsel, Nwachukwu said “It is Ajanaku.”

    When the court resumed after the stand-down, the charges were read to the defendants and their pleas were taken.

    Justice Oshodi adjourned the case until Nov. 3 to enable the defence to prepare for trial.

  • Money laundering: Court adjourns Sule Lamido’s trial till Nov 15

    Justice Babatunde Quadri of Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned trial of former Governor of Jigawa, Sule Lamido, until Nov. 15.

    Lamido is being prosecuted alongside his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, and two others by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 27-count charge bordering on abuse of office and money laundering.

    At the resumed hearing, counsel to the defendants, Kanu Agabi (SAN), informed the court of his appearance in the matter for the first time.

    Agabi said “I am coming here for the first time in this case and I am pleading with the court to give me time to familiarise with the case.

    “I know this is a court of justice and the court is interested in speedy trial but I am pleading for time to get to know about the case.”

    The senior advocate took over from Joe Agi (SAN), who was the defendants counsel.

    The prosecuting counsel, Chile Okoroma, who did not oppose the defence counsel’s plea, told the court that he had assembled his witnesses and they were ready to go on with the trial.

    He said he would not oppose the defendants’ right to adequate defence representation in the interest of justice.

    Consequently, Justice Quadri adjourned the matter until Nov. 15 and Nov. 16 for continuation of trial.

    It would be recalled that Justice Babatunde Quadri had on July 7 dismissed an application by the former governor requesting that the trial be returned to former trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola.

    Justice Ibrahim Auta, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, assigned the case to Justice Quadri when Justice Ademola went on suspension following corruption charge against him and his wife.

    But following judgment exonerating Ademola and wife, Agi requested that the Chief Judge return the case to him.

     

    NAN

  • How Jonathan’s aide allegedly helped Patience launder N5.1 billion, Witness tells Court

    A prosecution witness, Orji Chukwuma, in the ongoing trial of a former Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, on Tuesday told Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court , Ikoyi, Lagos, how Mr. Dudafa allegedly laundered several billions of Naira for a former First Lady, Patience Jonathan.

    Mr. Dudafa is standing trial alongside Joseph Iwuejo, his ex-account officer, who allegedly aided him to perpetrate the fraud.

    Messrs. Dudafa and Iwuejo, who also claimed to be ‘Taiwo Ebenezer’ and ‘Olugbenga Isaiah’, between June 2013 and June 2015, were alleged to have used different companies to fraudulently launder various sums of money to the tune of N5.1 billion.

    At the resumed hearing today, Mr. Chukwuma, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, told the court how one Murtala Abubakar, a Bereau de Change operator, admitted to have collected several millions in dollars from Dudafa.

    “We discovered, in the course of our investigation, that Abubakar was directed to pay the various sums of money into different accounts provided by Dudafa,” Chukwuma said.

    Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, Mr. Chukwuma also told the court that the money was given to Mr. Dudafa at the Aso Rock Villa by Patience, the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Giving further testimony, Mr. Chukwuma told the court that Mr. Dudafa used some companies: ABY Resources Limited; Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited; Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; Ibejige Services Limited and DeJakes Fast Food & Restaurant Nigeria Limited to warehouse and manage the monies found in his possession.

    The prosecution witness further stated that the defendant did not declare his interest in these companies in his Asset Declaration Form, and that the monies found in his accounts at two new generation banks were proceeds of crime.

    Also, Mr. Dudafa, through his lawyer, filed an application urging the court to release his international passport temporarily to enable him go for a medical appointment outside the country.

    In his response, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Oyedepo urged the court not to grant the application on the grounds that the EFCC had written to a Lagos State government hospital to examine Mr. Dudafa’s health and to determine whether he could be treated in the country or abroad.

    Mr. Oyedepo, however, told the court that he had yet to receive any response from the hospital.

    Consequently, Justice Idris adjourned to October 24 for hearing of the application and November 14 and 15, 2017 for continuation of trial.