EXCLUSIVE: Northern senators move against Akpabio over alleged N4trn budget paddingClimate change, extreme weather, conflict exacerbate global food crisisOramah’s developmental commercial banking idea needs Elumelu’s Africapitalism, By Kenneth AmaeshiEXCLUSIVE: Northern senators move against Akpabio over alleged N4trn budget paddingClimate change, extreme weather, conflict exacerbate global food crisisOramah’s developmental commercial banking idea needs Elumelu’s Africapitalism, By Kenneth...
Mr Aondoakaa’s revelation was prompted by a submission by the prosecution lawyer, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, who informed the court that there were moves by the Nyakos to strike a plea bargain with the government. After the defendant’s pleaded not guilty to the charge, the judge admitted them to bail on the previous bail conditions.As the Court clerk read the 37-count charge to the defendants on Thursday, Mr Nyako intermittently retorted from the dock that four assassination attempts had been made on him.He said when his “enemies” plots failed, they brought him to court on frivolous charges.
Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, EFCC, is prosecuting the Nyakos alongside Zulkifik Abba, Abubakar Aliyu, Blue Opal Ltd, Tower Assets Management Ltd and Crust Energy Ltd, on a 37-count charge of criminal conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and money laundering. He said Mr Abang had dismissed the defendants’ no-case-submission and ordered them to enter their defence in the suit.A no-case submission is filed by a defendant at the end of the prosecution’s case, asking the court for an acquittal without having him or her present a defence. Such filing is anchored on the presumption by the defendant that the prosecution, with all its witnesses and evidence tendered while making its case, failed to link him or her to the alleged crimes.
The prosecuting counsel had at one of the previous hearings told the court that counts 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29, fell under the 4th category of the charge, which bordered on obtaining money under false pretence, under Section 1 and of the Advance Fee Fraud Act and other related offences.