Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in
Abuja has ordered Murtala Nyako (retd.) to enter his defence in the alleged N29
billion money laundering charge preferred against him by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission.
Justice Abang gave the order on Monday while ruling on the
no-case submission filed by the former Adamawa governor, his son Abdul-Aziz and
other defendants in the matter.
The other defendants are Zulkifik Abba, Abubakar Aliyu, Blue
Opal Ltd, Tower Assets Management Ltd and Crust Energy Ltd.
The judge said that he had painstakingly perused the evidence given by the 21 witnesses called by the prosecution and was of the view that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the defendants.
“I have calmly, carefully, and painstakingly scrutinised the
evidence adduced by the 21 witnesses in chief and under cross-examination
including the oral and written arguments of all the defendants.
“I have again carefully and painstakingly considered the
evidence of the 21 witnesses and the massive documentary evidence and the
extrajudicial statements of the defendants.
“I have carefully considered the legal arguments of all the
counsel for the defendants, their written and oral arguments, and the argument
of the prosecution in this ruling.
“It is my humble but firm view that the prosecution has
established a prima facie case against the defendants and they are required to
enter their defence immediately.”
The judge held that the no-case submission filed by the
defendants lacked merit and he accordingly dismissed it.
He adjourned the matter until October 4, October 5, October
7, and October 8 for the defendants to open their case.
The EFCC is prosecuting the former governor and his son,
Abdul-Aziz; two companies, Sebore Farms and Extension Ltd and Pagado Fortunes
Ltd, over money laundering offences.
The EFCC had arraigned them on a 37-count charge of criminal
conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office, and money laundering.
The trial began on July 7, 2015, and the anti-graft agency
closed its case on November 3, 2019, having called 21 witnesses to establish
its case against the defendants.
Instead of opening their defence, the defendants elected to
file a no-case submission in which they argued that the facts adduced by all
the witnesses called by the prosecution did not prove the allegation against
them.
NAN
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