The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the adoption of final written addresses in the alleged ₦3.1 billion money laundering trial of former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, and his former Commissioner for Finance, Omodachi Okolobia, to November 6, 2026.
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Justice Peter Lifu fixed the new date on Friday, October 2, after the court was informed that Suswam’s lead counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, would be absent to travel to Denmark for the International Bar Association annual conference.
The development further delayed a case that began in 2015, despite both sides having concluded the presentation of evidence. Adoption of final written addresses ordinarily precedes the delivery of judgment.
At the proceedings, prosecution counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, told the court that Daudu had sent a letter notifying the prosecution of his absence and requesting an adjournment.
Atolagbe described the request as a “deliberate ploy to frustrate the prosecution,” arguing that the trial had already lasted about 11 years and that evidence had been concluded in November 2025.
He recalled that proceedings on July 16 had also stalled because Suswam was absent and cited illness.
“My Lord, in this case, the letter is saying that J.B. Daudu wants to conduct the proceedings. But C. Ogbozor has been conducting the defence, and the record of this court is very clear,” Atolagbe said.
The prosecution lawyer further noted that Daudu’s letter listed several other lawyers, including a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who could appear in his absence.
Citing a Supreme Court decision, Atolagbe argued that proceedings should not be held up for a particular lawyer, especially where other counsel had been conducting the defence.
Despite his reservations, he consented to the adjournment, explaining that the prosecution wanted to avoid any subsequent complaint about denial of fair hearing.
“It will be difficult for us to ask the court to proceed because we don’t want any party to raise any issue of fair hearing, but this is really sad,” he said.
He consequently asked the court to adopt October 23, the date proposed by Daudu.
Counsel to the second defendant, Paul Erokoro, SAN, did not oppose the request. He, however, pointed to previous adjournments sought by the prosecution and the years spent calling witnesses.
Atolagbe objected to Erokoro’s intervention, arguing that he had not authored the letter seeking the adjournment. The exchange prompted Justice Lifu to intervene.
The judge said further arguments were unnecessary since neither side opposed an adjournment, but stressed that the next hearing date must also accommodate the court’s schedule.
He subsequently adjourned the matter to November 6, a date accepted by the lawyers.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission first arraigned Suswam and Okolobia in November 2015 on charges bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.
The commission alleged that they diverted ₦3.1 billion from proceeds of the sale of Benue State Government shares managed through the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited.
According to the prosecution, the funds were allegedly channelled through Elixir Securities Limited and Elixir Investment Partners Limited between August and October 2014. Both defendants have denied wrongdoing.
The trial has passed through several judges and suffered repeated interruptions.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed, the original trial judge, withdrew after a publication accused him of bias. The matter was subsequently assigned to Justice Okon Abang before the Court of Appeal directed that it be returned to Justice Mohammed.
Following Justice Mohammed’s elevation to the Court of Appeal in 2023, the case was reassigned to Justice Lifu, before whom the defendants were re-arraigned in March 2024.
The prosecution called nine witnesses and tendered documentary evidence before closing its case. The defendants subsequently filed a no-case submission, contending that the evidence did not establish a prima facie case against them.
Justice Lifu dismissed the application in July 2025 and directed them to enter their defence. That ruling required the defendants to answer the prosecution’s case; it did not amount to a finding of guilt.
Suswam later testified as the sole defence witness, while Okolobia neither testified nor called a witness. The defence closed its case on November 24, 2025.
The court initially fixed January 20, 2026, for adoption of final written addresses and directed the parties to exchange their arguments. However, the matter did not proceed as scheduled and has since been adjourned repeatedly.
Suswam represented Katsina-Ala/Ukum/Logo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives before serving as Benue State governor from 2007 to 2015. He later represented Benue North-East in the Senate between 2019 and 2023.
In March 2024, he declared an interest in becoming National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, but the bid was unsuccessful.
The criminal allegations against Suswam and his co-defendant remain pending before the court.
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