N3.1bn fraud: Court dismisses ex-Gov Suswam no-case submission

N3.1bn Fraud: Court Dismisses Ex-Gov Suswam No-Case Submission

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed the no-case submission filed by former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, in the ongoing N3.1bn fraud case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Peter Lifu, in a ruling on Wednesday, held that the prosecution had established a prima facie case warranting the defendants to enter their defence.

Suswam, alongside a former Commissioner for Finance, Omodachi Okolobia, is facing an 11-count amended charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N3.1m, alleged to be proceeds from the sale of Benue State government shares.

The funds were allegedly laundered through transactions involving Benue Investment and Property Company Limited, Elixir Securities Limited, and Elixir Investment Partners Limited.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were first arraigned, paving the way for the commencement of trial.

One of the EFCC witnesses, a bureau de change operator, Abubakar Umar, told the court that in 2014, he converted N3.1bn, allegedly transferred to him by Suswam while in office.

According to him, he delivered the dollar equivalent of $15.8m in cash to the former governor at his Maitama, Abuja residence.

The Commission closed its case after calling nine witnesses, the last being Appea Sunday, an EFCC investigator with the Economic Governance Section, who gave his account of the investigation and tendered related documents.

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Following the close of the prosecution’s case, defence counsel led by Paul Erokoro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, orally applied to enter a no-case submission, arguing that the evidence presented did not link their clients to any wrongdoing.

But prosecuting counsel, O.A. Atolagbe, opposed the application, insisting that the Commission had led credible evidence requiring the defendants to enter a defence.

In his ruling, Justice Lifu agreed with the EFCC and dismissed the no-case submission.

“The court is not called upon at this stage to express an opinion based on the evidence before it. It is the court’s considered view that the defence needs to throw more light,” the judge held.

He added, “I do hold that there is a case to answer as the evidence shows the prosecution has established a prima facie case.”

Justice Lifu consequently ordered the defendants to open their defence.

Following the ruling, the defence team requested an adjournment.

The court then fixed September 22 and 26 for the continuation of trial.

Suswam, who governed Benue State from 2007 to 2015, is facing multiple allegations of financial misappropriation.

A judicial panel set up by his successor, Governor Samuel Ortom, had indicted Suswam’s administration over the alleged mismanagement of N6.5bn SURE-P funds, among other infractions.

The EFCC arrested Suswam in 2015 as part of a corruption probe in Benue State.

The case has been reassigned several times, having previously passed through Justices Ahmed Mohammed and Okon Abang before arriving at Justice Peter Lifu’s court.

N3.1bn Fraud: Court Dismisses Ex-Gov Suswam No-Case Submission