The Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, April 22, 2015 sought the leave of the
court to split the charges of conspiracy and theft of Police Pension Funds to
the tune of N24bn brought against Esai Dangabar and
six others before Justice Husseini Baba Yusuf of the Federal Capital Territory
High Court, Abuja in order to ensure expeditious trial of the accused persons.
At the resumed hearing of the
case today, counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, noted with concern, the delay
currently being experienced in prosecuting the case which he said, had been on
since 2012.
According to him, the
case had been dragging due to large number of lawyers representing the accused
persons in the matter.
Rotimi, who told the court
that, he had the mandate of his client to request for the splitting of the
charge said, “this matter has been on since 2012, and my Lord, the accused
persons here are seven with separate counsel. We notice that because of the
sheer number and representation of counsel, which must all be heard, the pace
of this case has slowed down. We believe this matter can be heard by having
separate trials of some of the accused. I humbly apply that my Lord allows at
least three separate trials”
But Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, counsel
to the first accused, objected stating,
“the case is for continuation of trial, and we expect that the application come
by way of writing so that we can confront every ground for the application”.
His
argument was adopted by the other counsel.
Justice
Baba Yusuf ordered the prosecution to formally file a motion for the splitting
of the charge and adjourned to June 23, 2015 for hearing on the application.
It
would be recalled that Dangabar alongside other accused persons: Atiku Abubakar
Kigo, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, John Yakubu Yusufu, Mrs. Veronica Ulonma Onyegbula and
Sani Habila Zira were first arraigned before Justice Mohammed Talba of the High
Court of the Federal Capital Territory, sitting in Gudu, Abuja on a 16 count
charge bordering on conspiracy and criminal breach of trust on March 29, 2012
and granted bail on April 3, 2012.
On November 12, 2012 the
court dismissed the applications brought by four of the six accused persons
challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the case as well as the
charges against them for lacking in merit.
One
of the accused John Yakubu Yusuf was convicted after he opted to plead guilty.
Consequently,
the prosecution filed new charges.
The
six accused persons, along with Uzoma
Cyril Attang, a former chief accountant in the Police Pension office who had
been elusive, took fresh pleas on an amended 20-count charge bordering on
criminal breach of trust, before Justice Husseini Baba Yusuf of the High Court
of the Federal Capital
Territory, Abuja on April 10, 2013.
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