•Drama as 3 SANs line up for Perm Sec
•••5 others face 16-count charge
•Suspects plead not guilty, remanded in prison
From MURPHY GANAGANA, Abuja Friday March 30, 2012
There was drama at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja yesterday when three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) lined up to defend a former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Atiku Abubakar Kigo and five others.
They were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 16-count charge over alleged police pension scheme fraud amounting to N32.8 billion.
Also charged with the same alleged offence before Justice Mohammed Talba were five others –Esai Dangabar, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, John Yakubu Yusuf, Mrs Veronica Ulonma Onyegbula and Sani Habila Zira. They all pleaded not guilty and were remanded in prison custody. Kigo was the director of Police Pensions Office before he was appointed permanent secretary.
The drama started when the accused were docked and their counsel announced appearance before the charges were read to them. Barrister J.N Egwuonwu had announced appearance for all the six accused persons when Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN)), stood up and told the court that Egwuonwu’s appearance was a misnomer as two SANs were in the court to represent some of the accused persons. Another SAN who was in court for the case was Dr. Awa Kalu.
Consequently, Justice Talba asked the accused persons one after the other, who their counsel was. Dangabar, the first accused person told the court that the two SANs were his lawyers, while the other five said they contacted the chambers of J.K Gadzama (SAN), for representation. The judge again asked Egwuonwu if he was from Gadzama’s chambers and he answered in the affirmative.
The six accused persons however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges, prompting the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs to request for an adjournment to enable the counsel argue their bail applications. But Awomolo interjected and said the applications for bail had been filed and served. “Your Lordship, having regards to the facts that the suspects are still presumed innocent until pronounced guilty, I will urge the accused to be detained in EFCC custody from where they came to the court this morning.
I urge my Lordship to adjourn till tomorrow so that the bail application can be argued”. While not opposing the bail, Jacobs said he was favourably disposed to arguing the bail application today (Friday). The case was adjourned to Tuesday, April 3, for argument on the bail applications, and May 28 and June 4 for commencement of trial, just as Justice Talba ordered that all the accused persons be remanded in prison custody.
via Daily Sun
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