Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court sitting in
Ikoyi, Lagos, on Monday, April 3, 2017, admitted as evidence some documents
tendered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in a $15m fraud
charge preferred against a former Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to
former President Goodluck Jonathan, Warpamo Dudafa and six others.
Dudafa is charged alongside Amajuoyi Briggs and Adedamola
Bolodeokua on a 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy and fraud.
Also charged with the accused are four companies: Pluto
Properties and Investment Company, Seagate Property Development Company, Trans
Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Avalon Global Property
Limited.
At the resumed hearing today, the prosecution counsel,
Rotimi Oyedepo, tendered some bank documents in respect of the account details
of the four companies.
The documents, which were tendered through the prosecution
witness, PW1, Obiako Uche, a staff of Skye Bank Plc, were admitted in evidence
as exhibits 1,2, 3 and 4.
Thereafter, the defence counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, pleaded
with the court for an adjournment to enable his clients( the four companies)
get what he described as ‘‘fair representation.’’
However, Oyedepo urged the court to decline the prayer,
adding that Ozekhome should have informed other parties in the matter at least
two days before today’s proceedings since he was making his first
representation in the alleged criminal matter.
Oyedepo further drew the attention of the court to the fact
that the Directors of the companies had earlier denied knowledge of Ozekhome
representing the companies.
He also submitted that the application for adjournment was
‘‘unmeritorious on the grounds that the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh
accused persons have been convicted.’’
Oyedepo, therefore, urged the court to strike out the application for adjournment sought by Ozekhome, saying ‘‘ it is baseless and not in the interest of Justice.’’
In response, Ozekhome told the court that it was not
compulsory to inform the prosecution two days before representing his clients.
Ozekhome also told the court that the Constitution
guarantees an accused person(s) the right to change his or her counsel at
anytime.
He further submitted that the fact that the fourth, fifth,
sixth and seventh accused persons were convicted did not mean the end of the
case, adding that they were neither sentenced not represented.
After listening to both parties, Justice Kuewumi adjourned the matter to May 10 2017 for continuation of trial.
After listening to both parties, Justice Kuewumi adjourned the matter to May 10 2017 for continuation of trial.
The companies had, on September 15, 2016, pleaded guilty to laundering the money when they were arraigned alongside the other accused.
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