Wrong Numbering Stalls Trial Of Elumelu, Jibo

Wrong numbering of the case file on Tuesday again stalled the trial of Sen. Nicholas Ugbane, Ndudi Elumelu and Muhammed Jibo, members of the House of Representatives.

Ugbane, Elumelu and Jibo are being charged by the EFCC on a 156-count charge bordering on conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.

At the resumed hearing, counsel to the second accused person, Mr. Patrick Ikweto, SAN, drew the attention of the judge to the fact that the case file still bore the names of the six civil servants even after the judge had severed their charges.

Ikweto said the case file still contained names of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Dr. Aliyu Abdullahi, and the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Sam Gakpe.

The other civil servants in the ministry are Simon Nanley, Lawrence Orekoya, Abdulsalami Jahun and Kayode Oyedeji, all directors.

“My Lord, may I draw the attention of the court to the case file before us. I discovered that it still contains the names of the six civil servants who are supposed to be tried differently.

“It also bears the same number as the suit my clients are involved in,” he said.

Ikweto insisted that the number on the suit be changed and that the EFCC should prepare fresh charges against the accused persons so that they could take fresh pleas.

He stressed that his clients were eager for trial to commence so that they could clear their names from the corruption charges levelled against them.

But the EFCC counsel, Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, raised objection to Ikweto’s submission that the prosecution should file fresh charges against the accused lawmakers.

“My Lord, the charges are not defective because after the severance of the charges with the civil servants, the positions of the first, second and third accused persons still remained the same.

“They are also being charged with breach of due process, criminal conspiracy, diversion and misappropriation of public funds totaling more than N5.2 billion,” he said.

After listening to submissions of the prosecution and defence counsel, the presiding judge, Justice Abimbola Banjoko, ordered that the file be returned to the registry of the court for proper filing of the suit.

She adjourned the matter to June 20 for continuation of trial.

Banjoko said the court would give accelerated hearing to the suit after proper labeling.

She, therefore, set June 20 to June 24 for the prosecution to commence the case.