Corruption: Lamido’s Trial Stalled Over Son’s Illness in Court
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, April 12, 2016 presented to Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, more documents to back up its claim on how the former Jigawa governor, Sule Lamido and his cohorts defrauded the State.
Lamido is being prosecuted alongside his two sons: Aminu and Mustapha and two others on a 27-count charge bordering on abuse of office and money laundering.
A prosecution witness, Micheal Wetkas, an operative of the EFCC, who testified as PW18, on April 11, 2016, revealed how Lamido, his sons, and cohorts received kickbacks running to billions of naira.
After a startling revelation of how the deal were perfected, the court adjourned to today for further hearing while admitting in evidence the documents presented to it.
At the resumed sitting today, counsel to EFCC, Chile Okoroma while leading Wetkas in evidence presented different documents showing contracts awarded to Dantata and Sawoe, A G Ferraro, Interior Woodworks Limited, Bamaima Company Nigeria Limited as well as sub contracts from Dantata and Sawoe to Speeds International Limited with their acceptance letter, receipts, waybills, payment vouchers, delivery notes and photocopies of cheques issued.
The documents were admitted as exhibits EFCC 63 – EFCC 111a-d.
At this point, Lamido’s counsel, O. E. Offiong, SAN, applied for a stand-down for an hour for the second defendant (Aminu Sule Lamido) to get medical attention as he was said to be sick and he was obliged by the court.
At resumed sitting, the second defendant was still not back. Another stand-down was given which later resulted to an adjournment.
Further hearing on the case has been fixed for May 9, 10 and 11 2016.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
12th April, 2016