The trial of Imaobong Akon
Esu-Nte, an accountant with the Nigeria Prisons Service, who is being
prosecuted alongside two others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, on charges bordering on conspiracy, forgery, abuse of office and money laundering,
before Justice E. S Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja has been
adjourned till June 10.
At the resumed hearing of the
case on May 25, 2015, Esu-Nte’s counsel, Titus Ashaolu, SAN, brought an application,
seeking to quash the charges prferred against the accused. Ashaolu argued that,
“the charges and proof of evidence does not disclose a prima facie case
against the accused.”
He told the court that, the
accused person was also standing trial on a similar charge before another court
adding that, the charge brought against the accused person before Justice
Chukwu amounted to an abuse of court process.
However, counsel to EFCC, L. P Aso,
countered, saying, “the charge before the court is regular and proper as it was
in compliance with the laws and the rules of the court”.
He stressed that the court
remained a court of summary trial, arguing that there was proof of evidence
before the court, to make the case go on.
“The trial has started and any
objection should have come before the trial began and not when the hearing has
gone midway,” Aso further argued.
The prosecuting counsel told the
court that, the charges in both courts are different, saying that, the case
before Justice Chukwu was on money laundering, which only the Federal High
Court can attend to.
Counsel to the third accused
person, Oladele Bello, in his application, asked the court to strike out the
name of his client (Transferase Ventures) from charge 1, 6 and 7 as it was not
a corporate personality, but a business name.
“It is not a limited liability
company and so it cannot be charged,” Bello said.
The counts were thereafter
struck out by the judge as there was no objection by the prosecution.
Justice Chukwu has adjourned the
case to June 10, 2015 for further hearing.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
26th May, 2015
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