Abdulazeez Abdulwahab
JUSTICE Mojisola Dada of a Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, yesterday Wednesday, 24 May 2023, adjourned till 31 May 2023 further hearing in the trial of the duo of Victor Uadiale and Capt. Everest Nnaji over an alleged $5m fraud.
The defendants are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for an amended five-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of $5 million.
Justice Dada had on 23rd March 2023 dismissed the no-case submission filed by the defendants as lacking merit and also ordered them to open their defence yesterday (24 May 2023).
They had pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against them when they were first arraigned on 14 December 2018 and maintained the same plea to the amended charges.
The victim, Tawfeeq A. Al-Omar, a Kuwaiti national, had testified as the first prosecution witness and narrated how he unwittingly fell into the trap of parting with his money.
At yesterday’s proceedings, the first defendant, Uadiale, who took to the dock to defend himself, denied knowing Al-Omar, as well as Nnaji, the second defendant, with whom he is standing trial.
Led in evidence by his counsel, Olalekan Ojo, (SAN), Uadiale, who described himself as a businessman, said: “I don’t know the second defendant and I only met him at the EFCC facility.
“I don’t also know Tawfeeq Al-Omar and all the allegations are like a drama, a story from the pit of hell.
“The very first day that I was confronted with the allegations, I told the EFCC operatives that I do not know this man, and I have no idea whether he existed.
“All the allegations during this trial are fabricated lies and I re-affirm that I do not know this man.”
Earlier in the course of the proceedings, Ojo had moved an application seeking the leave of the court to appeal the ruling of the trial judge dismissing the no-case submission of his client.
Counsel for the second defendant, Olanrewaju Fagbohun (SAN) also moved the same application on behalf of his client.
The prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) did not object.
The applications were afterwards granted by the trial judge, who noted that, for a criminal matter, they needed not to seek the leave of the court with regard to appealing the ruling.
The case was adjourned till 31 May 2023 for continuation of trial.
Eighteen-Eleven Media