Nyako was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in 2015.

When the matter was called on Friday, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, told the court that both parties were currently in discussions to ensure an amicable settlement of the case.

According to Jacobs, by the next adjourned date, they should be able to resolve all the details of the settlement so that the judge could dispose of the matter.

“If we get a week’s adjournment, we will be able to resolve this,” Jacobs said.

Counsel to Nyako, Mr Michael Aondoaka, SAN, also confirmed to the court that discussions had reached an advanced stage for an out-of-court settlement.

“I am positive that this matter will be resolved amicably,” Aondoaka said.

Following the consent of other counsel, Justice Peter Lifu adjourned the matter until July 18 for report of settlement.

Aondoakaa had clarified when the idea of the out of court settlement first came up that it was not exactly a plea bargain but that it was more about “settling the matter amicably,” particularly considering the age of the former governor.

According to him, plea bargain creates the impression of guilt, the admiral is 81 years old; he is the age mate of the likes of retired Gen. Badamosi Babangida, and he cannot continue to be made to face this again.

Nyako, his son, and other co-defendants are being tried by the EFCC on 37-counts of money laundering to the tune of N29 billion.

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Others being prosecuted are two companies, Sebore Farms and Extension Ltd and Pagado Fortunes Ltd., as well as Zulkifik Abba, Abubakar Aliyu, Blue Opal Ltd, Tower Assets Management Ltd., and Crust Energy Ltd.

The EFCC alleged that the defendants diverted funds from the Adamawa treasury between January 2011 and December 2014.

They allegedly used companies as conduit pipes to illegally divert the funds running into billions, which they converted into private accounts and moved to Abuja, where they used it to build private estates.

The trial has been on for 10 years as it began on July 8, 2015 before Justice Evoh Chukwu.

The trial, however, started afresh on September 12, 2016 before Justice Okon Abang, following the demise of Justice Chukwu on June 8, 2016, after the prosecution had already called five witnesses.

The trial, had to again, start afresh before Justice Peter Lifu following the elevation of Justice Abang to the Court of Appeal after the prosecution had called 21 witnesses.

Source: NAN

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The appellate court  held that the suit instituted by an aggrieved governorship aspirant, Kenneth Imasuangbon lacked cogent and verifiable evidence in the allegations against Akpata.

In the judgment delivered by Justice Okon Abang, the court held among others, that Imasuangbon failed to explore inter conflict resolution mechanism of the Labour Party before rushing to court.

To this end, the court held that his case was premature in law and could not be entertained on the ground that conditions precedents were not met.

The unanimous judgment of the three-member panel also held that the appellant failed to tender the disputed results of the February 23 primary election of the party which he claimed to have won.

Justice Abang held that the claim of Imasuangbon that he was not given official results by Labour Party could not hold waters because he had his agent at the primary election.

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The court further held that the appellant did not call as witness, a single delegate from those he claimed voted for him at the primary election.

The court added that Imansuangbon’s allegations that Akpata did not sign the Indemnity Form is statute-barred and therefore lacked jurisdiction.

The appellate court therefore upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court in Benin delivered by Justice Babatunde Quadiri, which had earlier dismissed Imasuangbon’s suit for want of merit.

Imasuangbon had in the suit prayed that Akpata be disqualified as Labour Party gubernatorial candidate on the allegations that he was not qualified to have participated in the poll.

He asked for an order of the court compelling Labour Party to withdraw the candidacy of Akpata and submit his own name as the right candidate having come second in the primary election.

Source: NAN

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Odofin, who is the EFCC’s star witness and 1st prosecution witness (PW-1) in the alleged N29 billion fraud preferred against Nyako; his son, Abdulaziz, and others, told Justice Peter Lifu while given his testimony.

Nyako, who was Adamawa governor between January 2007 and December 2014, is facing a 37-count bordering on money laundering.

They were re-arraigned, on March 21, alongside Zulkifik Abba, Abubakar Aliyu, Blue Opal Limited, Sebore Farms and Extension Limited, Pagoda Fortunes Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited and Crust Energy Limited.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The trial, which began on August 7, 2015 before late Justice Evoh Chukwu, was reassigned to Justice Okon Abang and they were re-arraigned on October 17, 2016.

However, the case was again re-assigned to Justice Lifu following Abang’s elevation to Appeal Court.

Led in evidence by Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, the witness told the court that “as a detective, my schedule of duty include to investigate all cases assigned to my team, write report on same, forward same to Legal and Prosecution Department of the commission and also go to court to testify in respect of same.”

Odofin, who identified Nyako as former Adamawa governor, said he also doubled as the chairman and chief executive officer of Sebore Farms and Extension Limited.

He said Abdulaziz is a director in Blue Ribbon Multilinks and also the co-owner of Blue Opal Limited and Opal Synergy Nigeria Limited.

“The name of the owner of Opal Synergy Nigeria Limited is one Neigi Oforie Jombo.

“These two companies came together to form Blue Opal Limited on 50/50 ratio.

“I know the 3rd defendant in this case. His name is Zulkifik Abba.

“He is a director in Cross Energy Limited. He is also a shareholder in a company called Mainstream Energy Limited.

“The 3rd defendant is also a director in a company called Sentiment Production and Exploration Limited.

“I also know the 4th defendant. His name is Abubakar Aliyu. He is a director in Tower Assets Management Limited.

“He is also a signatory to the bank account of Tower Assets Management Limited.

“The 4th defendant is also a shareholder in Blue Ribbon Multilinks Limited,” he told the court.

The detective said in 2011, the anti-graft agency received a petition against the defendants.

“Sometimes in 2011, the commission was in receipt of a petition dated 10th October, 2011 written by one Alhaji Saheed Umar.

“The petitioner alleged how the 1st defendant (Nyako), while he was executive governor of Adamawa State, siphoned the state funds running into billions of naira through a programme called Special Project Programme Unit (SPPU).

“The petitioner also alleged how the 1st defendant used his office to inflate contracts in his state.

“This petition was accepted and assigned to Economic Governance 3 (EG3) Unit for discreet investigation,” he said.

Justice Lifu admitted the petition in evidence and was marked Exhibit MN01 after the defence counsel including Michael Aondoakaa, SAN, who appeared for Nyako and his son, did not oppose Jacobs tendering it as evidence against their clients.

According to the witness, having assigned this petition to EG3, all the team members sat together and deliberated on the proper approach to adopt in investigating this case.

“It was agreed that letters of investigation activities be written to relevant agencies.

“As a result of this, the commission generated a letter of investigation activities to Zenith Bank, requesting for statements of account and account opening packages of Sebore Farms and Extension Production Limited, Blue Ribbon Multilinks Limited, Tower Assets Management Ltd, Cross Energy Ltd, Pandora Fortune Ltd, Padoga Petroleum Limited, Amdak Investment Limited, Kirkelly Investment Ltd, and Binkola Engineering Ltd.”

The PW-1 said the agency also wrote some other banks in relation to the investigation.

“Letters of investigation activities were also written to Fist Bank Nigeria Ltd in respect of Cross Energy Limited and Tower Assets Management Ltd.

“The commission also wrote letter of investigation to Diamond Bank, now Asset Bank Ltd in respect of Sentiment Exploration and Production Ltd and Tower Assets Management Ltd.

“Letters of investigation activities were also written to Guarantee Trust Bank in respect of Tower Assets Management Ltd.

“A letter was also written to Union Bank and ECOBANK in respect of parties involved in this case and other identified companies and individuals.

“Responses to these requests were received and analysed,” he said.

He said letters of investigation activities were written to Adamawa State government to furnish the commission with details of payment vouchers and memos in respect of various sums running into billions of naira withdrawn from Special Services Department (SSD) domiciled in Zenith Bank and Secretary to State Government (SSG)’s account, also domiciled in Zenith Bank Plc.

Besides, Odofin said EFCC wrote Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in respect of 5th to 9th defendants (companies), including Amdak Investment Ltd, Kirkelly Investment Ltd Binkola Engineering Ltd, and other companies linked to the investigation.

“Responses to these requests were also received and analysed,” he said.

The PW-1 said Nyako was invited by the EFCC on June 1, 2015 and he read and understood the petition.

He said the former governor made five written statements but the court could only found four of the statements.

When Rotimi sought to tender the statements, the defence lawyers opposed it.

The lawyers, including Aondoakaa, argued that since there were no indication that Nyako had legal representation at the time the statements were made, such action was in breach of procedural rule.

Justice Lifu, who adjourned the matter until October 24 and October 28 for continuation of trial, said the issue of the four statements would be addressed by the court.

Source: NAN

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Maina, who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was sentenced following his conviction for laundering pension funds to the tune of N2.1 billion.

Delivering judgment on behalf of the three-member panel, Justice Elfreda Daudu-Williams held that an opportunity was given to Maina to defend himself which he failed to use.

“There was no denial of fair hearing as opportunity was given to the appellant to defend himself by the lower court.

“Given the foregoing, it behooves on the appellant to defend himself in the money laundering allegations.’’

Justice Daudu-Williams said that there was not enough evidence in the defence given by Maina to prove that he did not commit the offence.

“The whole issue is resolved against the appellant and the appeal fails, this is the position of the court,’’ the judge said.

Justice Abang had on November 8, 2022 sentenced Maina, the former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, PRTT, to eight years in prison for money laundering.

The sentence was to run concurrently beginning from October 25, 2019, when he was arraigned.

The judge also ordered that Maina’s company, Common Input Property and Investment Limited, which was charged alongside Maina be wound up and its assets forfeited to the federal government.

Maina, not satisfied with the judgment of the trial court, approached the appellate court challenging the judgment.

In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/256/2019, EFCC alleged that Maina used fictitious names to open and operate various bank accounts.

The anti-graft agency also said that he recruited his relatives that were bankers to operate fake bank accounts through which illicit funds were channeled.

The EFCC arraigned him on a 12-count charge and alleged that sums of N300 million, N500 million and N1.5 billion were stolen from pensioners and deposited in the accounts.

Source: NAN

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The date was fixed following the absence of the new trial Judge, Obiora Egwuatu, in court.

All the parties in the matter, including Mr Metuh, were in court.

But Metuh’s retrial could not proceed because of the judge’s absence.

The Court of Appeal, Abuja on December 16, 2020, nullified a Federal High Court judgement that convicted and sentenced Metuh to seven years imprisonment for money laundering.

In a unanimous decision, a three-man panel of Justices of the appellate court, held that the judgment of the trial Judge, Okon Abang, delivered against Metuh on February 25, 2020, was tainted with bias.

The appellate court held that Abang, had by disparaging remarks he made in the judgement, betrayed his premeditated mindset against the defendant (Metuh) whom he accused of writing various petitions against him.

According to Justice Stephen Adah who delivered the lead verdict of the appellate court, allowing the trial court’s verdict to stand “will set a dangerous precedent.”

Consequently, it voided the conviction and sentence that was handed to Metuh and his firm, Destra Investment Limited, and remitted the case file back to the high court for a re-trial by another judge.

Although Metuh’s matter was on number six in the Wednesday’s cause list, the retrial could not commence.

Metuh was jailed over the allegation that he received the sum of N400 million from the former National Security Adviser, rtd Col. Sambo Dasuki, prior to the 2015 Presidential Election, without contract approval or execution.

His earlier conviction followed a seven-count charge that was preferred against him and his firm by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Source: NAN

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The vacation judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, refused to hear the bail application which was moved by Maina’s counsel, Mr David Iorhemba, on the grounds that it was contentious.

Mr Andrew Ocholi, counsel to the prosecuting agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, opposed the application, saying he had filed a counter-affidavit and a preliminary objection to show that Maina was no longer entitled to bail.

Justice Mohammed in his ruling held that the application was contentious and as such could not be heard during the court’s vacation.

The judge returned the case to Justice Okon Abang, who has been the trial judge in the substantive case, to hear the bail application after the court’s vacation.

The former PRTT boss is being tried alongside his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd, on a 12-count charge.

They are accused, among other offences, of laundering over N1 billion.

They were first arraigned on October 25, 2019, following which Justice Abang ordered that Maina be remanded in the Correctional Centre at Kuje, pending hearing of his bail application.

After perfecting his bail conditions, Maina was released from the correctional centre in July but had his bail revoked on November 18, 2020, on the grounds that he jumped bail.

He was rearrested and returned to court where the court ordered that he be returned to the custody of the correctional centre in Kuje until his trial was concluded.

Following his re-arrest, his lawyer, Mr Francis Oronsaye, withdrew from the case while his new lawyer, Mr Anayo Adibe, filed another bail application.

Justice Abang, however, in a ruling on February 28, refused to grant the application on the grounds that it was without merit and that Maina failed to place sufficient materials before the court to convince it that he deserved another bail.

The judge held that Maina did not deserve to be admitted to bail again after violating the conditions of the bail granted him earlier.

He adjourned the matter until October 4 when the court would resume from its vacation.

Source: NAN

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The officer, who did not mention his name in the open court, told Justice Okon Abang shortly after the matter was called.

Justice Abang had asked the officer why the defendant (Maina) was not produced in court.

The judge directed the court registrar to pass a paper to the prison officer to write his name.

Responding, the officer said Maina was not in the courtroom because he was having problem on his two knees.

He, however, said though he was not in the courtroom, the former pension reformed boss was in a car outside the court premises.

“My lord, the defendant is in the car outside. He has problem with the both kneels,” he said.

Abang then directed the registrar to tell him if he received the hearing notice for the sitting and that court sits at 9 a.m.

“Registrar, tell him the sitting is in the court not outside the court,” the judge added.

Responding, the officer said: “We saw the hearing notice that we should produce him in courtroom and not outside the court.”

Justice Abang, then, recorded that Maina was absent for the proceeding.

Earlier, Maina’s counsel, Abel Adaji, prayed the court for a short adjournment.

Adaji hinged his application on the claim that he was not served with the hearing notice in time.

“We were just served the hearing notice today. Our witness is not even within jurisdiction,

“We are humbly appealing for a very short date,” he had said.

The judge, then, asked him how he got to know about the matter.

“My lord, my learned brother, Anayo Adibe (who is also Maina lawyer) informed me this morning that the matter is slated for continuation of hearing this morning.

“And I did not ask how he got the information,” he told the court.

On June 17, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had urged the Chief Judge of the court, Justice John Tsoho, not to reassign some cases, including Maina’s suit, to another judge.

The anti-graft commission was reported to have applied to Justice Tsoho for a fiat to allow Justice Abang, the presiding judge in these cases, to conclude the matters.

The development followed the transfer of Abang to Warri division of the court in a March 16 circular signed by Tsoho.

Justice Abang was replaced by Justice D.U. Okorowo at the Abuja division.

Maina is handing trial on alleged money laundering to the tune of N2.1 billion.

Source: NAN

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The judge will also hear the trial of Faisal, the son of the former pension reformed boss, who is on trial on a three-count charge bordering on money laundering, the same day.

Besides, the case involving the former Governor of Adamawa, Murtala Nyako, and others will also come up before Abang.

Hearing notices to this effect had been issued to parties in the matters.

When contacted on telephone, the EFCC’s lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, replied via a text message that, “I have been served with hearing notice for Maina..”

On June 17, the EFCC had urged the Chief Judge of the court, Justice John Tsoho, not to reassign some cases, including Maina’s suit, to another judge.

The anti-graft commission was reported to have applied to Justice Tsoho for a fiat to allow Justice Abang, the presiding judge in the cases, to conclude the matters.

The development followed the transfer of Abang to Warri division of the court in a March 16 circular signed by Tsoho.

It would be recalled that Abang was replaced by Justice D.U. Okorowo at the Abuja division.

It is a common practice that whenever a judge is transferred before delivering judgment in a case he or she handles, the case will have to start afresh if another judge takes over.

Such case, however, can continue only where parties in the suit apply for a fiat, a provision of the Federal High Court Act that allows a presiding judge to conclude a matter irrespective of his or her new posting, apart from Section 98 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) that stipulates that a judge who begins a matter shall be allowed to conclude it in criminal cases.

The judge is then bound to come from his current division to hear the case.

The EFCC, according to a competent source at the office, said since Maina and his son’s trial, including Nyako’s case, had gone far, it would only be good, in the interest of justice, for the judge to conclude the matter.

“Maina has been arraigned, we have called all our witnesses and the defendant (Maina) has opened his defence.

“So it will only be proper for the presiding judge to conclude the trial to guard against delay in justice,” the source who did not want to be named had said.

Source: NAN

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Ihuoma, a management consultant, whose firm, Crincad & Cari Nigeria Ltd was contracted by the PRTT for consultancy service, also told Justice Okon Abang how a renowned lawyer allegedly acquired a recovered property from the EFCC even while the property was still subject of litigation.

Justice Abang  on February 25, ordered Maina to open his defence in the charge preferred against him by the EFCC after the prosecution closed its case.

Though Maina had intended to apply for a no-case submission, the judge foreclosed his right to make the application on December 21, 2020, ruling that the pension reformed boss had adequate time and facility to make the submission but failed to do so.

The witness, while being led in evidence-in-chief by Maina’s lawyer, Adeola Olawale, said the PRTT wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari on assumption of office in 2015 of its willingness to make available intelligence that would lead to the recovery of N3 trillion hidden in some undisclosed accounts in some banks.

“By January 2016, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the National Security Adviser (NSA)  met with Maina in Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE).

“After the meeting in Dubai, Maina gave the delegation intelligence report that led to the recovery of N1.3 trillion out of the N3 trillion promised to recover.

“The money was reported to the Senate Committee that investigated Maina’s reinstatement back to the civil service in 2017.

“Equally, the task team petitioned the Senate on the need to revisit the 7th Assembly Joint Committee that its report was quashed by the Federal High Court in view of the fact that the 222 choice property valued at N1.63 trillion that was handed over to the EFCC have started being mismanaged.

“One of the property in question located at No 42, Gana Street, Maitama, had been illegally acquired by a renowned lawyer while the property was still subject to litigation,” he said.

He said the EFCC should be made to account for the 222 property, “including the ones that was sold to the lawyer which was grossly under valued from N6 billion in 2011 and sold to him in 2015 at N1 billion.

“We believe that the task team stood by her integrity and accountability, not minding the persecution by the EFCC before this honourable court.”

Ihuoma said that when Magu appeared before the House of Representatives Committee that investigated the reinstatement of Maina, the ex-EFCC chair denied that the anti-graft agency was a member of PRTT and that the pension reformed team did not handover any property to the commission.

He said through his company, he petitioned Malami, telling him that Magu lied on oath before the House by denying that the EFCC was not a member of the task team contrary to the instrument establishing the PRTT through a letter from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation detailing membership of the task team and their terms of reference.

“That led to Malami petitioning Mr President and demanding that EFCC should account for the 222 property valued at 1.63 trillion which eventually led to the setting up of Justice Ayo Salami-led Judicial Commissuon of Inquiry.

“Magu admitted before Salami that he shared and allocated most of these property to most of his friends, associates, colleagues under some presidential directives but failed to make available to the commission the evidence of that presidential directives,” he said.

The witness stated that Maina gave intelligence report to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, of a plan to siphon N35 billion from the Head of Service Pension Office.

He said the commission questioned the former HoS, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, and five other management committee members and that the ICPC had its report and were ready to prosecute the matter.

He also said that the pension reformed boss in March 2013 gave an intelligence report to the then Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and EFCC leading to the mop up of N15 billion from Customs, Immigration, Prison Pension Office (CIPO).

Ihuoma said despite that the running cost of the PRTT was not paid, Maina was the only member of the team that was sacked.

He told the court that B. G. kaigama, who served in the team, “remains till today, a full director and second in command in Pension Transition Arrangement Department (PTAD).”

He added: “G.T Idris, who represented ICPC is now at NIPSS undergoing a one year course leading to his promotion to a rank of full commissioner of police.

“Even Winifred Oyo-Ita who managed the Head of Service Pension Office as interim management committee became the Head of Service (HoS) of Federation where she used that office to stop Maina’s reinstatement since 2017.”

The witness added that Ibrahim Larmode, who was a member of the team as chairman of the EFCC, was also promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector/General of Police (AIG).

“We stand to say that Maina deserves to be reinstated back as approved by the Federal Civil Service Commission in 2017 and if possible, in line with the recommendations of the House of Representatives to the then President Jonathan, be made to return to service and assist in cleaning up the pension matters now that the issue of pension is going haywire again.

“We believe this trial is not in the interest of pension reformed task team which EFCC was a member,” he said.

Justice Abang adjourned the matter until March 5 for trial continuation.

Maina (1st defendant) was arraigned before Abang on October 25, 2019, by the EFCC alongside his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd (2nd defendant).

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the 12-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N2 billion.

Source: NAN

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Justice Okon Abang, in a ruling, said though the decision to grant the application was at court’s discretion, such plea was a ploy to waste the judicial time of the court.

Maina had, through his counsel, Abel Adaji, on December 4, prayed the court for a short adjournment to allow him get a brief from his client to enable him do the needful, and Justice Abang adjourned the trial continuation for today.

At the resumed hearing, the Economics and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC’s lawyer, Farouk Abdullah, informed the court that the matter was slated for continuation of the evidence of the ninth prosecution witness (PW9), Rouqquaya Ibrahim, who is an EFCC investigator, in the case.

However, Anayo Adibe, who represented Maina as counsel at the sitting, objected to the call for trial continuation on the grounds that the legal team was just taking over the case and needed adequate time to prepare.

He said though they applied for the court record, in a letter to the court registry, they were yet to get it.

However, the judge, who corrected him that the last counsel did not apply for the court record, said he only applied for a short date in order to be briefed by Maina.

Adibe then explained that the next working day after the adjournment, “we did the needful.”

“We apply to the registry of this honourable court for the record of proceedings as at the last date to be made available,” he said.

The lawyer further explained that they also applied to the counsel who withdrew his appearance for Maina to oblige them with the copy of the charge sheet and other documents in relation to the trial.

He urged the court to accord Maina the constitutional right to be defended by counsel of his choice and be given adequate time and facility for his defence.

He cited Section 349(3) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to back his argument on allowing Maina reasonable time to engage counsel of his choice.

Abdullah disagreed with Adibe, saying his application was misplaced.

“We are surprised the counsel is taking us back from where we took off from,” he said.

He said he was aware of the provision of Section 36 of the constitution as it related to the rights of Maina.

According to him, this court has safeguarded this rights, urging the judge to look at record of proceedings from inception of the trial.

The anti-graft agency’s lawyer argued that Maina had been given all the rights and facilities that should be made available to him and had always been represented by counsel up to the last day the counsel withdrew.

He said though change of counsel was a right the defendant could enjoy if he wished, such right should not truncate the due administration of criminal justice regime.

He also argued that the provision of Section 349(3) was inapplicable in the case at hand because Maina had legal representation before now.

“On Friday (Dec. 4), one lawyer withdrew and another lawyer came into the picture.

“It presupposes that Section 349(3) is inapplicable here,” he said.

Abdullah, who said the justice of the case was for the matter to proceed, insisted that he was ready to proceed.

In his ruling, Justice Abang noted that since the matter resumed on September 29, Maina had not been appearing in court until a bench warrant was issued against him and he was produced in court on December 4 by security operatives.

“The issue before the court has to be properly made not on sentimental basis,” he said.

Abang said the issue of fair hearing was not applicable here because Maina was not just coming into the matter for the first time.

He said Maina had participated in the trial but jumped bail.

“The 1st defendant (Maina) jumped bail without reason to do so,” he held.

The judge also clarified that if Maina’s new counsel needed the case file, it was expected that the former counsel would hand over the file to the new lawyer.

“And if Joe Gadzama (former counsel) fails, the new counsel knows what to do.

“An administrative letter to registrar cannot serve as stay of proceeding.

“The new counsel cannot drag us into his own internal affairs.

“If the counsel needs CTC (Certified True Copy), he will get it even though the court is a busy court,” he said.

Justice Abang, who noted that Maina had been offered adequate opportunity and time for his defence, refused to grant his application.

The judge ordered the witness to continue with her evidence-in-chief and ruled that if Maina’s counsel, Adibe, failed to cross examine the PW9 after she completed her testimony, the cross examination would be foreclosed.

Maina (1st defendant) was arraigned before Justice Abang, on October 25, 2019, by the EFCC alongside his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd.

Although he is facing 12-counts bordering on money laundering, he had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Source:  NAN

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