Parties
in the ongoing trial of a former Senior Special Adviser to former
President Goodluck Jonathan
on Domestic Affairs, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, on Wednesday, February 27,
2019, adopted their final written addresses before Justice Muhammed
Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Dudafa is standing trial alongside Iwejuo Nna Joseph, a suspended manager of Heritage Bank, Yenegoa branch,
Bayelsa State, on a 23-count charge, bordering on conspiracy and concealment to the tune of
N1.6billion about (One Billion Six Hundred Million Naira) only.
The
defendants allegedly conspired and laundered the said money through the
accounts of A.B. Wise Resources
Limited, Seagate Property Development and Investment Limited, Avalon
Global Property Development Company Limited, Rotato Interlink Service
Limited, Pluto Property and Services Limited and De-jakes Fast Food and
Restaurant Limited.
At the resumed hearing today, counsel to the first defendant, Gboyega Oyewale SAN, adopted his final written
address and urged the court to discharge and acquit his client, Dudafa.
Oyewale, who also informed the court that the first defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred
against him, told the court that the prosecution had not proved its case.
He
argued that the prosecution had only relied on the statement of the
first defendant, and that the prosecution
has also not proven that the first defendant was guilty of the charge
pertaining to concealment and money laundering preferred against him.
“The
first defendant was only a servant of his principal employer and no
evidence has been led directly
to him. The charge in relation to concealment of information relates to
asset declaration. The first defendant wrote about his properties
without being given room to think and write, as he was still in custody.
The said property in Chevron is not his and was
not bought from his account,” Oyewale stated.
He, therefore, urged the court to acquit the first defendant on the ground that the prosecution has "utterly
failed to prove its case, and only wanted the court to fish for information."
Counsel to the second defendant, Joseph,
Ige Asemudara, urged the court to discharge and acquit his client
on all charges levelled against them, while adopting his final written address.
He
said, “My Lord, in the charge of forgery, the prosecution is supposed
to present original documents
and the forged documents before the court, but the prosecution failed
to tender the alleged forged cheque. The charge of concealment is only
in the mind of the prosecution," Asemudara said.
The
prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, adopted his final written address
and urged the court to convict
the defendants, stating that the first defendant, in his statement,
admitted that he received various sums in cash and in dollars, which he
did not keep in bank.
He further said that the first defendant sent someone to a bureau de change operator to change the money
and conceal them in various accounts operated by him.
According
to Oyedepo, "the second defendant assumed different identities in order
to operate various accounts
of the first defendant. It is an offence for a public officer in the
discharge of his duties to receive gratification and gifts. The first
defendant, while giving evidence, mentioned that he received gifts from
the former president and friends of the president.
The first defendant, in his statement, said he acquired a property in
Chevron with the money given to him as gifts.”
Oyedepo, further submitted to the court that no one could prove beyond all shadow of doubts, but "it is
to prove with evidence beyond all reasonable grounds, which has been done."
He, therefore, urged the court to convict the defendants.
Justice Idris thanked all the parties for their support and stated that they would all be notified on
the date for judgement.
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