A Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has ordered Senator Bassey Albert Akpan to enter defence over the alleged N204 million fraud, rejecting his no-case submission.
Senator Bassey popularly known as OBA is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a six-count charge of alleged money laundering and for being in possession of six vehicles worth N204 million, provided by one Olajide Omokoro whose companies allegedly executed contracts for the Akwa Ibom State government.
The EFCC through its counsel, M. S. Abubakar, closed its case after calling several witnesses and tendering documents that were admitted in evidence.
However, when the matter came up on March 8, 2021, the defendant rather than enter his defence, introduced two motions, one for a no-case submission and the other asking the court to quash the charges against him.
But Abubakar opposed both motions and asked the court to reject the applications.
Ruling on the applications on March 8, the court presided over by Justice Agatha Okeke upheld the argument of the prosecution and dismissed the two applications as “incompetent” and ordered the defendant to enter his defence.
The matter was thereafter adjourned to April 29 and 30, 2021.
Dissatisfied by the ruling, the defence initiated fresh process, seeking leave of the court to appeal the ruling of March 8.
When the matter came up on Monday, March 22, 2021, the defence counsel, I. F. Ukpah prayed the court to grant their prayers.
The court granted the request as prayed.
In another a similar development, the court adjourned the trial of Uzoma Udemba, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Communication Trends Limited to March 24, 2021, for ruling on a no-case-submission filed by the defendant and two others.
Udemba is being prosecuted by the Uyo zonal office of the EFCC alongside his company, Communication Trends Limited and one Samuel Onyeanuforo for allegedly rebroadcasting the English Premier League matches without the permission of the MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, the rights owner.
The prosecution, through its counsel, Nwandu Ukoha closed its case on February 25, 2021, after calling three witnesses who tendered documents that were admitted in evidence.
