Court adjourns ruling on ex-civil service boss' case till May 4

chika ebuzor

March 1, 2017 8:53 PM

Oronsaye was the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force, in GEJ's administration.

Steve Oronsaye.

An FCT High Court, Maitama, on Wednesday adjourned till May 4, ruling on the no case submission by Steve Oronsaye, former Head of Service of the Federation.

The judge, Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, adjourned the case after listening to submissions by counsel in the matter.

Oronsaye was the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force, set up by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He was docked for breach of trust and diversion of N190 million meant for the committee he chaired.

The prosecution called six witnesses to prove its case and also closed its case on Nov. 15.

On December 9, 2017, the defence filed no case submission, on the ground that the prosecution has no case against the defendant.

On the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the defence counsel Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), argued that there were omissions of essential elements in the charges against his client.

He said on that account, the charges were imperfect.

Agabi said that the charge was initially two counts, later amended to seven, and that was a sign that something was wrong with the charge from the beginning.

He said that, the prosecution failed to specify the amount that was entrusted to the defendant, nor the mandate of the committee the defendant chaired.

Agabi said that there was no proven offence by the prosecution to warrant the defendant to enter defence and therefore urged the court to grant his no case submission.

ALSO READ: How Orosanye allegedly defrauded FG of N190m

Responding, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Offem Uket, told the court that the prosecution has proved its case.

Uket said that it was not right to bring up the issue of imperfection of charges now, as it was against the provisions of Sections 220 and 221 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act, (ACJA) 2015.

He said that there was a prima facie case against the defendant, and urged the court to dismiss the no case submission by the defence.

chika ebuzor