Oronsaye: Court adjourns no-case submission hearing until Feb 7

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8 years ago

AN Abuja high court sitting in Maitama, on Friday, adjourned a no-case submission hearing filed by Steve Oronsaye, former Head of Service until February 7, 2017.

Oronsaye, who was the chairman, Presidential Task Force Committee on Anti-Terrorism Financing, set up by former President Goodluck Jonathan, was put on trial for breach of trust and diversion of N190 million made available for the committee.

At the resumed hearing on Friday, counsel to Oronsaye, Chief Kalu Agabi (SAN), sought the order of the court to file a no-case submission, saying the prosecution had not made any case against his client.

The judge, Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, then granted the application and ordered that the motion be filed and also be served immediately to the prosecution and adjourned hearing in the no-case submission until February 7.

At the last sitting, the prosecution closed his case after calling six witnesses to testify.

The 6th and the last prosecution witness, Hamma-Adams Bello, an officer with the EFCC, told the court that the investigation was approved by former EFCC boss, Ibrahim Lamurde following the receipt of two petitions against the defendant.

During cross examination by Ade Okeaya-Inneh (SAN), counsel to Oronsaye, Bello told the court that the petitioners were anonymous and their addresses were not clearly stated.

He, however, added that in spite of that, the petitions were investigated and found that Oronsaye was the sole signatory in two bank accounts of the Committee, one at Zenith Bank and the other at Access Bank.