The retrial of former Sule Lamido, ex-governor of Jigawa State, alongside his two sons and others over an alleged N1.35 billion fraud was on Friday stalled at the Federal High Court in Abuja due to the absence of the defendants.
The case, recently reassigned to Justice Peter Lifu, could not proceed as the accused persons failed to appear in court.
Although counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Chile Okoroma, SAN, and defence lawyer Joe Agi, SAN, were present in court, none of the defendants attended the proceedings.
Addressing the court, Agi explained that the hearing notice was received late on Thursday at about 5 p.m., making it difficult for the defendants—who reside in Kano—to travel to Abuja.
According to him, the defendants were unable to secure a flight to the Federal Capital Territory in time for the hearing. He, however, assured the court that they would be present on the next adjourned date.
Meanwhile, EFCC counsel Okoroma requested that the matter be reassigned to the former trial judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, who had earlier handled the case.
He informed the court that a letter had already been written to the Chief Judge seeking the reassignment.
However, Agi said the defence team had not received a copy of the said letter and might raise objections once it was made available.
Justice Lifu, while reacting, questioned whether Okoroma was still in the employment of the EFCC.
“Are you part of the EFCC? Are you still in the employment of EFCC?” the judge asked.
Okoroma responded that he was no longer with the commission.
Justice Lifu noted that the case had been pending since 2015 and stressed the need to commence trial without further delay.
“The Chief Judge assigned the case to me, and it is my duty to start hearing as an obedient servant,” the judge stated.
He subsequently directed the EFCC lawyer to provide the defence with a copy of the letter requesting reassignment.
The case was adjourned until April 1 for hearing.
Earlier, the Supreme Court of Nigeria had, on January 16, ordered the retrial of Lamido and others over the alleged fraud.
A five-member panel of the apex court delivered two unanimous judgements in appeals filed by the Federal Government through the EFCC, overturning the July 25, 2023 ruling of the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
The appellate court had earlier upheld a no-case submission by Lamido and the other defendants, striking out the 37-count charge on the grounds that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter.
However, in the lead judgement delivered by Justice Abubakar Umar, the Supreme Court set aside the appellate court’s ruling and reinstated the earlier decision of Justice Ojukwu directing the defendants to open their defence.
The EFCC had accused Lamido of abusing his office as governor between 2007 and 2015 by allegedly laundering funds received as kickbacks from companies awarded contracts by the Jigawa State Government.
Others standing trial alongside the former governor include his sons, Aminu and Mustapha Lamido; Aminu Wada Abubakar; and two companies—Bamaina Holdings Ltd and Speeds International Ltd.
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