By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
The trial of a People’s Democratic Party Chieftain, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before a Federal High Court in Lagos could not continue on Monday July 2 as scheduled due to the absence of Justice Mohammed Idris, the trial judge now elevated to Court of Appeal.
Consequently, the case has been adjourned to October 2, for mention.
Nwaoboshi, who represents Delta North Senatorial district in the National Assembly, was docked by the EFCC on a two-count charge of money laundering and fraud alongside two companies which are Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd and Suiming Electrical Ltd.
He had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail by the trial judge on self recognisance as a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The trial commenced on June 20 when the prosecution (EFCC) opened its case and called two witnesses in evidence who were subsequently cross examined.
Thereafter,the court had adjourned the case to July 2 for continuation of trial.
However the elevation of the trial Judge, Justice Mohammed Idris to the Court of Appeal following his swearing-in along with other elevated judges at the Supreme Court by the Chief Justice of Nigeria(CJN) Justice Walter Samuel Onnoghen, the trial of Senator Nwaoboshi was affected.
At the Federal High Court on Monday, the accused as well as his team of lawyers were present in court for trial, but were informed by the court’s registrar, that no directives had been issued for either a re-assignment or transfer of the case.
The registrar said that since it was common knowledge that Justice Idris had been elevated to the appellate court, it would be safer to adjourn the case for mention, until after the court’s long vacation scheduled to begin from July 9 and ends September 14.
Following a consensus of counsel to the parties the case was consequently adjourned until October 2 for mention.
In the charge No: FHC/L/117C/2018, the EFCC alleged that the accused committed the offences between May and June 2014, in Lagos.
Nwaoboshi was said to have acquired a property described as Guinea House, Marine Road in Apapa, Lagos, for the sum of N805 million when he reasonably ought to have known that N322 million out of the purchase sum formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act.
The sum was said to have been transferred to the vendors by order of Suiming Electrical Ltd.
Suiming Electrical was said to have on May 14, 2014, aided Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch to commit money laundering.
It stated that the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 15(2), (d) , 15 (3) and
