Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Justice A.B Aliyu of the Federal High Court, Minna, Niger State yesterday relisted the alleged N2billion fraud case involving the former Governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and his former Chief of Staff, Umar Gado Nasko, for retrial, thus setting the stage for their fresh trial.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), in a statement, said it is prosecuting Aliyu and Nasko – first and second defendants respectively – on three-count amended charge of breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N2billion, which was struck out on June 19, 2020.
Following the abrupt termination of the case, prosecution counsel, Faruk Abdalla, on October, 13, 2020 filed a motion to set aside the June 19, 2020 ruling as well as an order for the relisting of the charge.
Abdalla supported the application with 21-paragraph affidavit, deposed to by Samuel Chime, stating that, “We rely on all the paragraphs; we also file a written address in support, we adopt the written address as our oral submission and we pray the court to grant our prayers in the motion papers.”
Mamman Mike Osman, (SAN), counsel to Nasko, who was represented by Iloh Bekeme Asuelemeh, while speaking on behalf of the defence team prayed the court to set aside the application, noting that the defence had filed a 33-paragraph counter-affidavit, deposed to by John Kyrian Etuk, and documented as exhibit QJ1-QJ6, which he said had been adopted as the written address of the defence.
Justice Aliyu slated October 27, 2020 for ruling on the matter.
While ruling in favour of the prosecution yesterday the judge reinstated the bail granted to the defendants and adjourned the matter till November 23 and 24, 2020, for trial.
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