Alleged N322m fraud: Absence of witness stalls Senator Nwaoboshi’s trial

The scheduled continuation of trial of the Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District of Delta State, Mr. Peter Nwaoboshi, before the Federal High Court, Lagos, could not go on Friday, due to the absence of prosecution witness.

Nwaoboshi was charged with an alleged fraud of N322 millions by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He is standing trial before the court on the alleged fraud alongside his two companies: Suiming Electricals Limited and Golden Touch Construction Project Limited.

They were before the Court on charges of conspiracy and money laundering.

The EFCC, in the charges, alleged that Nwaoboshi, and Golden Touch Construction Project Limited, purchased a property ,Guinea House, Marine Road, Apapa, Lagos for N805m between May and June 2014.

The anti-graft agency further alleged that N322 million out of the N805 million , which Nwaoboshi ,and the firm paid for the property was part of proceeds of “an unlawful act, to wit: fraud.”

The prosecution said the defendants acted contrary to Sections 18(a) and15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 and are liable to punishment under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

Nwaoboshi and his companies had pleaded not guilty to the offences.

At the resumed continuation of the charge on Friday, the prosecutor, Mr. Wemimo Ogunde (SAN), apologised to the court for the absence of his witness to testify against Nwaoboshi.

He consequently asked the court for a short adjournment, while he promised that he would ensure the presence of his witnesses on the next adjourn date.

Responding, Nwaoboshi’s counsel, Emmanuel Muowa, did not opposed the adjournment sought for by the prosecutor, he however, asked the court to award a punitive cost against the EFCC for its failure .

Ogunde (SAN) begged the court not to award any cost against his commission, saying that being the first prosecutor of the agency, its not his practice to waste court’s precious time. He therefore urged the court not to award any cost against the EFCC.

Adjourning the matter, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, who declined to award cost against the EFCC, warned the anti-graft agency’s counsel to ensure that his witnesses would be in the court at the next adjourned date. He consequently adjourned the matter till March 13, 27 and May 18.