The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday presented its ninth and final prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, over alleged N3.1 billion fraud.
Suswam is being prosecuted alongside his former Commissioner for Finance, Omodachi Okolobia, on an amended 11-count charge bordering on the diversion of public funds.
The charges relate to the alleged misappropriation of N3.1 billion, said to be proceeds from the sale of Benue State’s shares held by the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited.
During proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja, EFCC counsel A.O. Atolagbe informed the court that the Commission would be closing its case after presenting its ninth witness (PW9), Mr. Ape Sunday, an EFCC investigator.
Atolagbe explained that the Commission was compelled to close its case without presenting a tenth witness due to the ill health of Mrs. Shiedu Awade, a former cashier and executive officer of Benue Investment and Property Company Limited, who was expected to testify as PW10.
PW9 told the court that Mrs. Awade has been hospitalized at the National Hospital, Abuja, and was unable to attend court due to the serious nature of her illness.
Following the prosecution’s announcement, defence counsels C.E. Ugbozor (representing Suswam) and Paul Erokoro, SAN (representing Okolobia), notified the court of their intention to file a “no-case submission”;;, arguing that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against their clients.
They requested 14 days to file their submission, while the EFCC asked for 21 days to respond.
Justice Lifu adjourned the matter until June 24, 2025, for the adoption of the parties’ written addresses on the no-case submission.
