The trial of former Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam, before Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, was on Monday stalled over the defendant’s inability to commence his defence.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/idrinstitute.png")
Suswam, alongside his former Commissioner for Finance, Omodachi Okolobia, is facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an amended 11-count charge bordering on alleged diversion of ₦3.1bn. The funds were said to be proceeds from the sale of Benue State shares, held in trust by the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited, through Elixir Securities Limited and Elixir Investment Partners Limited.
Justice Lifu had on July 23, 2025, dismissed a no-case submission by Suswam and ordered him to open his defence.
At Monday’s proceedings, Suswam’s lead counsel, J.B. Daudu (SAN), requested a three-week adjournment, citing the hospital admission of one of his lawyers, Chenelu Ogbozor. He also informed the court that an appeal had been filed against the ruling dismissing the no-case submission, urging the trial judge to hold on until the appellate court’s decision.
But prosecuting counsel, A.O. Atolagbe, opposed the application, arguing that the defence had ample time to prepare during the annual judicial recess.
“We had more than two months’ break for them to prepare. This case has been ongoing for 10 years. They cannot ask this court to wait for the Court of Appeal when there is no ruling yet. It is unfair to seek three more weeks after all the time already available,” Atolagbe submitted.
Expressing frustration at the delay, Justice Lifu decried the slow pace of the case, which he said had lingered for a decade.
“This morning when I came, I could not even find the case file. I had to send my people to the appeal registry to search for it, only to see the file scattered all over the place. That was why I came late. We cannot go on like this. This case has been on for 10 years. No matter what, a matter should not drag on for this long,” the judge fumed.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to October 10, 2025, for Suswam to commence his defence.
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