N5.1BN ALLEGED FRAUD: Jonathan’s aide says EFCC has no case

Former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Dr. Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, on Thursday filed a no-case submission in his alleged N5.1 billion court case.

He claimed through his lawyer, Mr. Adegboyega Oyewole (SAN), that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to establish a prima facie case against him and therefore prayed the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos, to discharge and let him go.

His co-defendant, Joseph Iwuejo, also made similar application before the court.

The EFCC had in 2016 leveled 23 counts bordering on alleged use of some companies to perpetrated a N5.1 billion fraud against Dudafa and Iwuejo.

The anti-graft agency claimed that the N5.1 billion was defrauded from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), headed then by Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

The companies EFCC listed to have allegedly been used by the defendants to perpetrate the fraud are Seagate Property Development & Investment Limited; Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited; Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; and Rotate Interlink Services Limited; Ibejige Services Limited; DeJakes Fast Food and Restaurant Nigeria Limited; and Ebiwise Resources.

The prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, had told the court that Dudafa and Iwuejo, a banker, acted contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 17(a) of the same Act.

However, the defendants had pleaded not guilty which saw the trial commence with the prosecution calling a number of witnesses and tendering documents.

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The prosecution had on March 16, 2018 closed its case but the court adjourned the matter till April 26 for the defendants to open their defence.

When the matter resumed on Thursday, rather than open their defence, the defendants filed applications for no-case submission.

After the prosecutor acknowledged that he had been served with the applications but that he needed time to respond, Justice Idris adjourned the case till May 15, 2018.

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