 |
| Mr Paul Usoro |
A Federal High Court Lagos on Monday adjourned until Feb. 11 continuation of trial of President of the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA) Paul Usoro, charged with alleged N1.4billion fraud.
Usoro is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Rilwan Aikawa on 10 counts bordering on the offence.
He was first arraigned before Justice Muslim Hassan in December 2018, but the case was re-assigned to Justice Rilwan Aikawa.
He had pleaded not guilty to the charges before Hasssan.
He also maintained his not guilty plea before Aikawa, and was granted bail.
The continuation of trial which was earlier fixed for Monday has now been further adjourned to Feb. 11, as Justice Aikawa did not sit.
Trial will resume on the next date.
Also mentioned in the charge, is the incumbent governor of Akwa Ibom, Emmanuel Udom, who is described as being โcurrently constitutionally immune from prosecutionโ
Others mentioned are the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Finance, Nsikan Nkan; Accountant-General of Akwa Ibom State, Mfon Udomah; the Akwa Ibom Attorney-General, Uwemedimo Nwoko and Margaret Ukpe.
The aforementioned names were described in the charge as being at large.
.
In the charge marked FHC/418c/18, the anti-graft agency alleged that the defendant committed the offence on May 14, 2016.
Usoro was alleged to have conspired with others, to commit the offence within the jurisdiction of the court.
The commission said that the N1.4billion belonged to the Akwa Ibom State Government.
The defendant was alleged to have conspired to convert the said sum, which he reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity.
The prosecution said that the unlawful activity include criminal breach of trust which contravenes the provisions of section 15 (2), 15(3), and 18 (A) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
