5th July, 2019
The application of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to list the former Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, as a witness in a “N2.5 billion fraud case against Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr. Ishaq Kawu and two other individuals, Lucky Omoluwa and Dipo Onifade, Chairman of pinnacle communications, has been granted by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The defendants had been taken to court by ICPC on the allegation of misappropriating N2.5 billion in the Digital Switch-Over (DSO) programme.
At the last adjourned sitting, Alex Izinyon, counsel to Omoluwa and Onifade, had filed a motion seeking an order of the court to stop the prosecution from listing Mr. Lai Mohammed and Shuaibu Sabo, a bureau de change operator, as additional witnesses.
The Channels reported that, at the court hearing on Friday, Mr. Abayomi Oyelola, who held the brief for Mr. Alex Iziyon, announced the withdrawal of the motion opposing the list of additional witnesses by ICPC prompting the trial judge Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa, to strike out the application paving way for ICPC to go ahead with listing Mr. Mohammed as a witness.
It also reported that, the court ordered a temporary release of the international passports of the Chairman of Pinnacles Communication, Mr. Lucky Omoluwa and his Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Dipo Onifade to travel outside the country within the months of July, August, and September.
The defendants were granted leave on the grounds that they each provide a surety to swear an affidavit to represent them during their trip.
The trial judge, justice Folashade Giwa also gave this order in view of the fact that Counsel to the ICPC withdrew a counter affidavit opposing the release of their passports and had filed an affidavit verifying the defendants’ addresses in the bail bond in compliance to the court’s directive on July 1.
The Judge further warned that the passports are to be returned back to the registry of the court on or before the 25th of September as failure to do so will lead to the detention of their sureties till their arrival, while she adjourned the case to October 2 for trial continuation.