Ladipo Sanusi/
Lawyers defending three former aides of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan in a N5.1billion fraud case have asked the court to dismiss the case.
Former Senior Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to Jonathan, Dr. Waripamo Owei-Emmanuel Dudafa and others are standing trial at the Federal High Court, in Lagos.
They have asked the court to discharge and acquit them.
Dudafa’s co-accused, Iwejuo Joseph Nna, also known as Taiwo A. Ebenezer, and Olugbenga Isaiah, equally made the same application.
The plea of the accused persons was contained in a separate no-case submission applications filed before the court.
Dudafa, Nna and some companies are standing trial before the court presided over by Justice Muhammed Idris, on a 15-count charge of N5.1 billion fraud brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Charged with them are five incorporated companies: Seagate Property Development & Investment Limited, Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited, Pluto Property Limited Investment Company Limited and Rotate Interlink Services Limited.
The offences, according to the prosecution are contrary to and punishable under sections 17(a), 18(c), and 27 (3) (c) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act 2004.
At the last hearing of the case, the prosecution, through its lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, had informed the court that it has closed its case against the two accused persons.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Wednesday, which was slated for the accused persons to open their defence, their lawyers, A. Olufolaju, who stood in for Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), and Mr. Ige Asemudara, informed the court about their clients’ no-case-submission, which they said was brought pursuant to section 302, 303, 357 and 358 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, and section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution, 1999, as amended.
Asemudara told the Court that same applications were served on the prosecution.
The EFCC lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo confirmed receiving the said application. He told the Court that he needed time to respond to the application, as he was just served.
Upon the request for more time to respond to the application by the prosecution, Justice Idris adjourned the matter till May 15 for hearing of the applications.
Dudafa and Nna, in their applications seeking to discharge them of the allegations, stated that the prosecution has failed to prove the essential elements of the offences linking them to the charges, and that the evidence so far led has been discredited under cross examination.
Urging the court to discharge and acquit them of the offence, the Dudafa and Nna stated that “one of the essential elements of the offences charged has not been proved against them, as an exhibit tendered by the prosecution, which was a letter from the National Security Adviser (NSA) office, signed Col. Sambo Dasuki, retired, and addressed to the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) requesting for certain money, failed to show if money was actually disbursed.
The defendants also stated that the prosecution also failed to tender statement of account, to justify the alleged collection and disbursement of fund from CBN.
The CBN Establishment Act No.7, now contained in CAP. C4 of the updated version of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, states that: “the bank shall receive and disburse federal government money and keep account thereof”.
Nna in his no- case submission said two things flow from the above; the first is that a crime has been committed before the money was released .The second is that the money is a product of that Crime.
Dudafa and Nna averred that there is no testimony through any of the prosecution witnesses that mentioned the particular crime or the person or persons who committed the crime and that there is no allegation in the charge that it is any of the defendants who committed the alleged crime.
The defendants said that neither the predicated crime nor its proceeds were proved, adding that it is clear from the evidence on record that the alleged crime had been committed before the first and second defendant allegedly conspired to conceal or even concealed the proceeds.
” Even the said predicated crime must be proved beyond reasonable doubt”.
The defendants also stated that under cross – examination, the seventh prosecution witness confirmed from Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C.) forms and bank mandate of the companies listed as their co-accused, tendered and the means of identification of their directors, confirmed that each of them have their BVN, which is unique identity.
They also stated that the prosecution has failed to prove the essential ingredients of the allegations in all counts of the charge against them, thereby making it impossible for the prosecution to make any prima facie case to warrant them to be called upon to enter their defence in respect of all the counts of the charge.
Consequently, both Dudafa and Nna, urged the court to uphold their no-case-submission, and to discharge and acquit them of the 23-count charge.
0