EFCC against court registrar: Judgment set for December
Justice Lateef Lawal – Akapo of the Lagos State High Court Ikeja has fixed December 21 for judgment on a $330,000 scam case involving a former registrar of a Lagos High Court, Rosulu Idowu Oluronke.
Justice Akapo, adjourned proceedings after the adoption of the final written addresses by the parties. EFCC’s counsel, Seidu Atteh, had called six witnesses and tendered 10 exhibits to prove the case.
Oluronke was charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the allegations of conspiracy and obtaining fraudulently, the alleged sum of $330,000 from Major-General Ishaya Bamaiyi (rtd) in Prison, while he awaited trial inmate at the Kirikiri maximum prison, Lagos.
Rosulu was accused of aiding a Lagos lawyer and socialite, Fred Ajudua to defraud the former Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Gen Ishaya Bamaiyi (rtd) of the sum of $330,000, while he was incarcerated over the charge of attempted murder of Alex Ibru.
Bamaiyi was allegedly lured to part with the sum when he was told he would be assisted to secure his release by Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, as well as some funds meant for the then trial judge, Justice Joseph Oyewole to take care of his ailing father.
Justice Lawal-Akapo fixed the date after hearing the address by the counsel to the defendant, Mr. Bamidele Ogundele, who argued that the constitutional power of prosecution to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt has not been satisfied, adding that there was no evidence to the effect that the defendant visited the prison to collect the alleged sum.
Ogundele, further said there was no dollars collected in prison, adding that the prosecution did not prove through documentary evidence that the defendant met with Fred Ajudua and others for the purpose of obtaining money by false pretence from retired Major-General Bamaiyi.
Beside the lawyer submitted that, prosecution did not produce to court, the record of defendant’s visit to prison as well as documentation of $330,000 as stated.
The lawyer said that during the trial the prosecution failed to conduct identification parade for Bamaiyi to identify the defendant.
He therefore urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendant of the allegations brought against her. In his reaction, the prosecution counsel from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Seidu Atteh, who called six witnesses and tendered 10 exhibits to prove the case said that an accused person can be convicted base on confessional statement and the circumstantial evidence. Atteh, further said that the evidence of Bamaiyi who was the eye witness to the defendant collecting the alleged sum was neither challenged nor contradicted.