Status of high profile cases by the EFCC
Joshua Dariye – a serving Senator representing Plateau Central, and former governor of Plateau State, is facing a 23-count charge involving a N1.16 billion fraud at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gudu, Abuja. The EFCC closed its case against him on June 6, 2016 after presenting its tenth witness. His defence team opened its case on June 17, 2016. Dariye is expected back in court on September 19, 2016.
Aliyu Akwe-Doma – a former governor of Nasarawa State, is facing a 10-count charge bordering on corruption and money laundering at the Federal High Court, Lafia, Nasarawa State, along with a former Secretary to the State Government, Timothy Anjide, and a former Accountant-General, Dauda Egwa. They are alleged to have fraudulently diverted about N8 billion from the state coffers. The EFCC closed it case against them on June 23, 2016 after presenting nine witnesses. They will be back in court on November 28, 2016.
Ikedi Ohakim – a former governor of Imo State, is facing a three-count charge bordering on money laundering offence, before a Federal High Court, Abuja. He is alleged to have made a cash payment of $2,290,000 to procure a property located at 60, Kwame Nkurumah Street, Asokoro in Abuja – an act contrary to the Money Laundering Act 2011 (as amended in 2012). Ohakim was first arraigned on July 8, 2015. His “no-case” submission application was on June 30, 2016 dismissed by the trial judge who ruled that a prima facie case had been established against him. The EFCC closed its case against Ohakim on May 5, 2016 after presenting six witnesses and tendering documentary exhibits to prove its case. Ohakim is expected back in court on October 10, 2016.
Olisa Metuh – a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is being prosecuted for receiving N400 million from the Office of the National Security Adviser for political campaigns. The EFCC closed its case against him on February 9, 2016 after presenting its eighth witness. Metuh was arrested in January after investigations into the $2.1 billion arms fund indicated that he was a beneficiary of the slush fund.
Jolly Nyame – a former governor of Taraba State is being prosecuted on a 41-count charge bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N1.64 billion, before Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gudu, Abuja. His trial began in 2007. The EFCC presented its ninth witness against him on May 20, 2013. The defence, however, brought in a twist challenging the admissibility of the statements. It argued that the 2007 statements were “not voluntarily obtained” from him. Nyame had alleged that he was forced to sign the statement, which he made. The allegation sparked the beginning of a trial-within-a-trial, in a case that started in 2007. It was to determine if the statement was obtained voluntarily or not. Judgment on the matter was however, only decided on April 25, 2016 – three years after the commencement of the trial-within-a-trial. Ruling on the admissibility of Nyame’s statements dated June 6 and 7, 2007 and July 11, 2007 Justice Banjoko admitted them as exhibits and overruled the former governor’s objections. His trial is to continue on September 27, 2016.
Danjuma Goje – a former governor of Gombe State, and a serving Senator, is is being prosecuted before Justice B.O. Quadri of the Federal High Court, Gombe State, on an 18-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering. His trial began in November 2012. Goje is being prosecuted along with Sabo Tumu, former Gombe State Government House food supplier; Aliyu el-Nafaty, former Executive Chairman, of the state’s UBEB; S.M. Dokoro, proprietor of S. M. Dokoro and M. Dokoro Gombe. On June 15, 2016 the prosecution presented a witness, Salisu Abaji, former secretary to the state’s Universal Basic Education Board, UBEB, who told the court that Goje awarded contract for supply of dictionaries for over N1 billion without following procurement process.
Murtala Nyako – a former governor of Adamawa State, is being prosecuted by the EFCC along with his son, Senator Abdul-Aziz Nyako, Abubakar Aliyu and Zulkifikk Abba on a 37-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and money laundering to the tune of N29 billion, their trial which began on July 8, 2015 before Justice Chukwu will have to begin afresh. Justice Chukwu went the way of all mortals on June 8, 2016. The prosecution had presented five witnesses to prove its case against the defendants. The trial will, however, have to start afresh before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja on September 12, 2016.
Orji Uzor Kalu – a former governor of Abia State, is being prosecuted for a N5.6 billion fraud committed during his tenure. Kalu was first arraigned on a 107-count charge before Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on July 27, 2007. He was arraigned along with his company, Slok Airlines Nigeria Limited and Udeh Udeogu. His trial was however, stalled after he proceeded to the Supreme Court seeking to quash the charges. His appeal at the Supreme Court subsequently stalled his trial until March 18, 2016 when a five-man panel headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, dismissed his appeal, and ordered that he “go and face” his trial at the Federal High Court. The Supreme Court also ordered that the case be re-assigned to a new judge. On May 16, 2016 the EFCC arraigned Kalu before Justice Anwuli Chikere of a Federal High Court Abuja, on an amended 37-count charge. Kalu is expected in court on September 27, 2016 when he is expected to take his plea.
Gabriel Suswam – a former governor of Benue State is being prosecuted on a nine-count charge bordering on conspiracy, bribery, abuse of office and obtaining by false pretence, to the tune of N3.1 billion fraud. He was first arraigned on November 10, 2015. The EFCC on May 4, 2016 presented its fourth witness. His trial before Justice A.R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court Abuja, continues on October 4, 2016.
Ahmadu Fintiri, served as an acting governor of Adamawa State. He was first arraigned on June 30, 2016 before Justice A.R. Mohammed on a five-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N2.9 billion. The former Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, served briefly as the state governor in 2014 when Murtala Nyako, then governor, was impeached. Fintiri would be back in court on October 6, 2016.
Sule Lamido – a former governor of Jigawa State, is being prosecuted on a 27-count amended charge before Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, along with his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha. They were first arraigned before Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court, Kano State, on a 28-coun charge, on July 9, 2015 for allegedly misappropriating funds belonging to the state.
Rufus Ojuawo, an Air Vice Marshall and former Director of Operations, Nigeria Air Force, is being prosecuted on a two-count charge bordering on bribery to the tune of N40 million before Justice M.B. Idris of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja. His trial continues on September 15, 2016.
Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, a Lagos-based human rights lawyer is being prosecuted before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court, Lagos for charges bordering on obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of N61,631,944.65. His trial continues on September 23, 2016.
Adeniyi Kayode-Beckley, an Air Vice Marshal, was first arraigned on June 29, 2016 before Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the FCT High Court, Gudu, Abuja, on a one-count charge of bribery to the tune of N10 million. His trial continues on September 27, 2016.
Stephen Oronsaye, a former Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force, PCFATF, is being prosecuted on a two-count charge bordering on abuse of office and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N190 million, before Justice Olasumbo Goodluck of the FCT High Court Maitama, Abuja. His trial continues on September 28, 2016.
Mohammed Umar, an ex-Chief of Air Staff is being prosecuted on a seven-count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja. He was first arraigned on May 11, 2016. His trial continues on October 12, 2016.
Raymond Dokpesi – former Chairman, DAAR Communications Plc and African Independent Television, AIT, for charges bordering on money laundering and procurement-related fraud. He was re-arraigned before Justice J.T. Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a six-count charge to the tune of N2.1 billion. His trial continues on October 19, 2016.
Jide Omokore - Chairman/founder, Energy Resources Group, was arraigned on July 4, 2016 before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a nine-count charge bordering on money laundering and procurement fraud. He was arraigned alongside Victor Briggs, former managing director of Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited; Abiye Membere, former Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation; David Mbanefo, manager Planning and Commercial of the NNPC; Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Limited. The trial continues on October 19, 2016.
Rickey Tarfa – a Senior Advocate of Nigeria is facing a 27-count charge bordering on alleged willful obstruction of authorized officers of EFCC, refusing to declare assets, making false information and offering gratification to a public official brought against him by the anti-graft agency. His trial before Justice Adedayo Akintoye of the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, Lagos continues October 13, 2016.
Raymond Omatseye – a former Director General, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, was prosecuted on an amended 27-count charge bordering on N1.5 billion contract scam, before a Federal High Court in Lagos. He was first arraigned on the amended charges on February 4, 2013. The EFCC closed its case against him on October 13, 2014 after calling three witnesses. On May 20, 2016 Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia ruled that she found him guilty of 24 out of the 27 counts and sentenced him to five years in prison on each of the 24 proven counts, to run concurrently. He was however later awarded a N500,000 post-conviction bail on June 6, 2016.
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