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Court Adjourns Orji Kalu’s Alleged N2.9bn Fraud Case

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Money Laundering
  • Court Adjourns Orji Kalu’s Alleged N2.9bn Fraud Case

The Federal High Court in Lagos has adjourned further proceedings till April 10, 2017 in the trial of a former Governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, who was charged with N2.9bn fraud.

The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, adjourned the case on Thursday to enable the prosecution to regularise the proof of evidence filed in support of the charge.

The decision for an adjournment followed a ruling in which the judge upheld the objection of the defence counsel to the competence of a bank manager, Christy Ohiri, to testify in the case as the second witness for the prosecution.

The defence counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Chief Solo Akuma (SAN) and Mr. K.C. Nwafor (SAN), had on Wednesday contended that Ohiri could not testify in the case because her name was not on the list of the 19 witnesses proposed to be called by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The defence counsel also opposed the move by the prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), to tender, through Ohiri, the statement of an account opened by the Abia State Government House at the Umuahia branch of the United Bank for Africa.

The defence counsel had also objected to the tendering of a letter dated October 4, 2006 written by the UBA to the EFCC in response to an enquiry on the status of the Abia State Government House account.

In his ruling on Thursday, Justice Idris held that it was clear that Ohiri was not listed as one of the witnesses in the proof of evidence front-loaded and served on the defence counsel by the prosecution.

He said this failure could not be waved aside as it was a fundamental breach of Section 397(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and Section 36 of the constitution both of which state that an accused person must be given adequate time and facility to prepare his defence.

“The witness is not properly (brought) before the court…Justice rushed, is justice crushed,” the judge said and directed the prosecutor to regularise the processes and serve all the necessary documents on the defence counsel.

Following the ruling, the prosecutor, Jacobs, pleaded with the defence counsel and the judge to be allowed to use his pen to write Ohiri’s name in the list of the witnesses so that the case could proceed immediately or for the judge, in the alternative, to stand the matter down for a few minutes to allow him file additional proof of evidence and serve it on the defence counsel in court.

But the proposition was rejected by the defence counsel, who described the application as an attempt to rubbish the ruling of the judge.

Is the CEO/Founder of Investors King Limited. A proven foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Businessinsider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and many more. He has over two decades of experience in global financial markets.

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Government

Senate Suspends Senator Abdul Ningi for 3 Months Over Budget Padding Allegations

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Abdul-Ahmed-Ningi

The Senate has announced the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi for three months following his allegations of budget padding to the tune of N3.7 trillion in the 2024 budget.

Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central and chairs the Senate Committee on Population, had made the claims in a recent interview with the Hausa service of the BBC.

During a plenary session, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, raised a motion to address Ningi’s allegations, citing the urgent need to address what he termed as “false allegations.”

The transcript of Ningi’s interview was read on the Senate floor, prompting deliberation on the appropriate action to take.

Initially, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim proposed a 12-month suspension for Ningi, but Senator Chris Ekpeyong moved to reduce it to six months.

Eventually, Senator Garba Maidoki amended the motion further, suggesting a three-month suspension.

The amended motion was put to a voice vote, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the decision to suspend Ningi for three months.

Following the ruling, Ningi was escorted out of the Senate chamber by the Sergeants-at-arms.

The suspension comes amidst division within the Senate over Ningi’s claims, with some senators disowning his allegations and calling for a thorough investigation.

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Government

Ekiti Governor Unveils Multi-Billion Naira Relief Programmes Amid Economic Crisis

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Biodun Oyebanji

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, has announced a comprehensive relief package aimed at alleviating the hardship faced by the people of the state.

The relief programs encompass various sectors to cushion the impact of the economic downturn.

One of the key initiatives entails clearing salary arrears amounting to over N2.7 billion owed to both State and Local Government workers.

This move signifies the government’s commitment to addressing the financial burdens faced by its workforce.

Furthermore, Governor Oyebanji has approved a substantial increase of N600 million per month in the subvention of autonomous institutions, including the Judiciary and tertiary institutions.

This augmentation is intended to enable these institutions to implement wage awards in alignment with State and Local Government workers’ salaries.

In addition to addressing salary arrears, the relief programs extend to pensioners, with the approval of payments totaling N1.5 billion for two months’ pension arrears.

Moreover, an increase in the monthly gratuity payment to state pensioners and local government pensioners will provide additional financial support, totaling N200 million monthly.

The relief initiatives also encompass agricultural and small-scale business sectors.

The allocation of funds for food production and livestock transformation projects underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing food security and economic sustainability at the grassroots level.

Governor Oyebanji emphasized that these relief programs are part of the state’s concerted efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of the economic downturn and foster shared prosperity.

The comprehensive nature of the initiatives reflects a proactive approach towards addressing the challenges faced by Ekiti State residents.

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President Tinubu Orders Immediate Settlement of N342m Electricity Bill for Presidential Villa

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power project

President Bola Tinubu has directed the prompt settlement of a N342 million outstanding electricity bill owed by the Presidential Villa to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).

This move comes in response to the reconciliation of accounts between the State House Management and the AEDC.

The AEDC had earlier threatened to disconnect electricity services to the Presidential Villa and 86 Federal Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) over a total outstanding debt of N47.20 billion as of December 2023.

Contrary to the initial claim by the AEDC that the State House owed N923 million in electricity bills, the Presidency clarified that the actual outstanding amount is N342.35 million.

This discrepancy underscores the importance of accurate accounting and reconciliation between entities.

In a statement signed by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency affirmed the commitment to settle the debt promptly.

Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila assured that the debt would be paid to the AEDC before the end of the week.

The directive from the Presidency extends beyond the State House, as Gbajabiamila urged other MDAs to reconcile their accounts with the AEDC and settle their outstanding electricity bills.

The AEDC, on its part, issued a 10-day notice to the affected government agencies to settle their debts or face disconnection.

This development highlights the importance of financial accountability and responsible management of public utilities.

It also underscores the necessity for government entities to fulfill their financial obligations to service providers promptly, ensuring uninterrupted services and avoiding potential disruptions.

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