By Chizoba Ogbeche
Abuja
An FCT High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, yesterday adjourned until December 13, 2017, for continuation of hearing in trial-within-trial of the fourth defendant, Veronica Onyegbula, in the N14billion Police pension scam.
Onyegbula is facing a case of alleged complicity in over N14 billion Police Pension Fund scam filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Others are: Esar Dangabar, Atiku Kigo, Ahmed Wada, Sani Zira, Uzoma Attang, and Christian Madubuke.
The judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, adjourned the case after the prosecuting counsel, Oluwaleke Atulegbe, informed the court that he was unable to come with the fourth witness.
At one of the sittings, Mr Mustapha Gandaya, an EFCC officer, also a witness brought by the prosecution, sought to tender the statements made by Onyegbula to the EFCC, but her counsel opposed the move.
Onyegbula’s counsel, Mr Ernest Ikeji, informed the court that EFCC forced his client to make those statements and prayed for trial-within-trial.
At the resumed hearing yesterday, Mr Nurideen Suleiman, was brought by the prosecution as the third witness and being led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel he told the court that he was among the team that investigated Onyegbula.
He said that on February 16, 2012, other defendants were released because they met the bail conditions, but the fourth defendant was not released because she could not meet the conditions.
He said that the on February 17, 2012, a search was carried out at the fourth defendant’s resident and some bank slips and statements and agreement between a company, Ulover International and another company from South Africa were recovered.
When cross examined by the fourth defendant’s counsel, the witness confirmed that as at February 17, all other defendants had left the EFCC custody except Onyegbula because she could not fulfil the bail condition.
He also confirmed that they (EFCC) took her to her house for search after which she made another statement.
The witness said that the fourth defendant was not induced, however, admitted that he did not know the date the search warrant was obtained.
He said the fourth defendant was released after the search the same the after the search, pointing out that the bail condition was lowered because she could not meet the earlier conditions.
