N107m contract scam: Ogbulafor must face trial, FG insists

The Federal Government, on Thursday, told Justice Isha Bello of an Abuja High Court that a former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Vincent Ogbulafor who is standing trial for alleged complicity in the N107 million contract scam must be tried.
Ogbulafor had through his counsel, J.K Gadzama (SAN), filed a no case submission after the prosecution closed its case against the accused.
Gadzama,  while moving the no case submission told the court  that the prosecution has failed woefully to establish a prima facie case against the former PDP chairman.
He also  told the court that the prosecution witnesses that gave evidence before the court during the trial, failed to link Ogbulafor with the offences for which he is being tried in their evidences.
He said the evidence of the second prosecution witness was discredited during cross-examination, adding that the witness admitted that the N2 million given to Ogbulafor was for campaign to the office of the national chairman of the PDP when he was no longer a minister.
The prosecution, however, opposed the no case submission submitting  that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing a prima facie case against the accused.
Prosecuting counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) argued that Ogbulafor  needed to give some explanations on the charges for which he was being tried.
Justice  Bello later adjourned till March 26 to rule on the no case submission.
It will be recalled that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), is prosecuting Ogbulafor, who was Minister of Special Duties along with Emeka Ebilah and Jude Nwokoro on a 17-count charge of conspiracy and award of fictitious contracts to the tune of N107 million.
The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
Part of the 17-Count amended charge dated June 17, 2010 read thus: “That you Vincent Ogbulafor (M) and Emeka Ebilah (M) in the Month of March 2001, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court, being public officers, to wit; Minister In Charge of Special Duties and Secretary/Member of the National Economic Intelligence Council (NEIC) respectively, did use your positions to confer corrupt advantage upon yourselves the sum of N82, 631, 03. 41 from the Federal Government of Nigeria in the name of a company HENCHRIKO NIG. LTD as payment for non-existence contract purportedly executed for the Federal Government and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000.”
Tribune