21st February, 2017
Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, his wife, Olabowale and Joe Agi (SAN), charged with fraud before Jude Okeke of the FCT High Court, on Tuesday filed a no-case-submission
The defendants/applicants are standing trial on an 18-count charge bordering on conspiracy, collection of gratification and money laundering.
Ademola was also charged for illegal arms possession.
The Prosecution alleged that the offences ran contrary to section 8(1) (a) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000 and illegal possession of firearms.
The defendants/applicants had sought the permission of the court to file the motion on no-case-submission after the prosecuting counsel, Mr Segun Jegede closed his case.
The prosecution team had presented a total of 19 witnesses to prove their case.
According to the defendants, the testimonies from the witnesses and the surface value of the charge had not established prima facie against them.
The judge, therefore, ordered all counsel to file and serve the court and each other with relevant processes on the motion before March 15, the next adjourned date.
NAN reports that earlier, three more prosecution witnesses had testified in the matter.
Mr Ayila Abdul, the 17th prosecution witness, the compliance officer in Skye bank testified on Agi’s bank account details.
He said he did not know the purpose of the inflows and outflows in the account, adding that the bank did not suspect any foul play.
Mr Kelvin Achi, an investigation official of United Bank of Africa testified on the account of Kingsley Obinna
Obinna was the man Mrs Fatima Shaibu claimed to have harassed her with text messages and calls demanding N25 million to enable him influence the bail of her husband, Dr Shaibu Tiedi being tried by Ademola.
On his part, Mr Faruk Umar Regional Compliance Officer with the Diamond Bank appeared as the 19th prosecution witness.
He had testified in respect to Don Parker Properties Ltd, a company Ademola allegedly used as go-between for purchases and sales of properties.
He said there were two inflows into the account of N90 million and N85 million respectively from Ademola’s sales of some properties.
Ademola is one of the seven Federal Justices standing trial after the sting operations carried out on Oct. 8 and Oct. 9 by the DSS.