Rtd. Chief of Air Staff Adesola Amosu and 10 others, who
are under trial for a N22.8bn fraud, say they are still in plea bargain talks
with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Defence counsel Norrison
Quakers said this on Tuesday before Justice Mohammed Idris of the
Federal High Court in Lagos. At the resumed proceedings on Tuesday, EFCC
lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo told the court that he was ready to open his
case against the defendants and had already brought two witnesses to court for
trial to commence.
Rtd. Chief of Air Staff Adesola Amosu and 10 others, who
are under trial for a N22.8bn fraud, say they are still in plea bargain talks
with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Defence counsel
Norrison Quakers said this on Tuesday before Justice Mohammed Idris
of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
At the resumed proceedings on Tuesday, EFCC lawyer
Rotimi Oyedepo told the court that he was ready to open his case
against the defendants and had already brought two witnesses to court for trial
to commence. Mr. Oyedepo said the EFCC had discharged its obligations by
serving the proof of evidence on the defendants.
But responding,Bolaji Ayorinde told the court
that the matter was only adjourned till Tuesday for mention, citing
court records, and that the case could not be heard. In his own submission, Mr.
Quakers aligned himself with Ayorinde, pointing out that the defendants were
still in plea bargain talks with the EFCC. In a short ruling, Justice Idris
said he confirmed from the court's record that the matter was adjourned only
for mention and not for trial. He consequently granted the prayer of the
defence counsel for an adjournment, and adjourned till October 20, 21 and
24, 2016 for trial. Air Marshal Amosu and three others: Air
Vice-Marshal Jacob Nola Adigun and Air Commodore Gbadebo Owodunni Olugbenga,
were arraigned onJune 29th on a 26-count charge of conspiracy, stealing
and money laundering to which they pleaded not guilty. The defendants were also
accused of indirectly converting the sum of N3.6bn, property of the Nigerian
Air Force to their own.
Reports have it that some of
the trio's properties have been confiscated by the EFCC and the sum
of N2.8bn recovered has been returned. The trio are standing trial
alongside eight companies, namely: Delfina Oil and Gas Limited,
Mcallan Oil and Gas Limited, Hebron Housing and Properties Company
Limited, Trapezites BDC, as well as Fonds and Pricey Limited.
They are accused of conspiring among themselves in March
2014 to convert N21.5bn belonging to the Nigerian Air Force into their personal
use in contravention of Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition)
(Amendment) Act, 2012. Justice Idris admitted Amosu, Adigun and Olugbenga to a
bail of N500m each with two sureties in like sum.
But on July 8, 2016, the defence counsels Bolaji
Ayorinde, Quakers, Kemi Balogun and A. Etuokwu, informed the court of their
clients' intention to enter into a plea bargain, and requested an adjournment
to work on their bail to smoothen their talks with the EFCC. In another charge,
the EFCC alleged that Amosu and the others stole N323,319,283.81 from the
accounts of the Nigerian Air Force between the March 2014 and March 2015
to purchase for themselves a property situated at No.1, River Street, Wuse II,
Abuja.
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