.Court adjourns case till Dec. 20
By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
A mix-up on the date for continuation of trial in the N322 million money laundering case against Senator Peter Nwoboshi and two others stalled the proceedings before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos Nigeria on Monday October 12, 2020.
Nwoboshi representing Delta North Senatorial District is standing trial over money laundering charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2018.
Trial had progressed, while the prosecution had only one witness remaining to close its case before the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic.
When the case was called for resumed continuation of trial on Monday, Mr O.A
R. Ogunde (SAN) announced appearance for prosecution, Mr G.A.I. Mowa (SAN) announced appearance for 1st defendant, Mr C.K Nmarkwe appeared for 2nd defendant while Pomela Unegbu-Amadi appeared for 3rd defendant.
Addressing the court, Ogunde said that the date he received from Chamber for the continuation of trial was October 14, whereas in the cause list the date is October 12.
“We have a witness to close our case whom we had told to be in court on October 14, based on the information we got, not knowing that it is today. He lives in Abuja.
“There was a mix-up in the date communicated to us and therefore, “we urge your lord to direct that hearing notices be communicated to parties either by email, SMS or any other permanent form of communication instead of verbal or telephone call.”
Ogunde asked for one more adjournment to produce their witness.
Responding, 1st defence counsel, Mr Mowa, said that the defence team was in court ready for the continuation of the trial.
“This application for adjournment will further amount to injustice to the defence as we are here already.
However he later conceeded to the adjournment and suggested that they come back October 14 but the judge said the date was not convenient.
After going through the diary, Justice Aneke adjourned the matter till 10, 11 and 14 December, 2020 for continuation of trial.
Senator Peter Nwoboshi was charged by the EFCC, along with two companies, Golden Touch Construction Projects Ltd and Suiming Electricals, for alleged N322 million money laundering.
The commission had re-arraigned the accused before Justice Aneke, on October 5, following the elevatom of the previous trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, to the Court of Appeal.
He had pleaded not guilty on his arraignment before Idris, and also, pleaded not guilty to the charges on his re-arraignment before Justice Aneke.
Following his re-arraignment, the case started de novo (afresh). The prosecution had alleged that Nwoboshi and Golden Touch Construction Projects, purchased a 12-storey building property, known as Guinea House, on Marine Road in Apapa, Lagos for N805million between May and June 2014.
The anti-graft agency claimed that N322 million out of the N805 million was part of proceeds of “an unlawful act of fraud.”
The EFCC alleged that the N322 million was transferred to the property’s vendor, on the order of Suiming Electricals, which was accused of aiding the accused to commit money laundering on or about May 14, 2014.
The alleged offences contravenes the provisions of sections 15(2)(d) and 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011.