Justice K. N. Ogbonnaya of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Kubwa, Abuja, on Friday, April 24, 2026, expressed displeasure at the delay tactics of the defence counsel in the trial of the National Coordinator of Multi-Sectional Crisis Recovery Projects, MCRP, North East Development Commission, NEDC, Alhaji Danjuma Mohammed, who is facing prosecution alongside two others, Prince Achem and Aminu Alhaji (at large), for fraud.
Counsel to the first and second defendants, M. S Ibrahim, SAN and J.J Usman, SAN, had at the proceedings voiced out their unwillingness to cross-examine the First Prosecution Witness, PW1, Kenneth Ifekwudu Ejiofo,r for reasons the judge did not find to be cogent.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting the threesome on an amended 54-count charge, bordering on fraud, conspiracy, false pretence and forgery to the tune of N2,280,000.00 (Two Billion, Two Hundred and Eighty Million Naira).
At the stage of cross-examination, the defence counsel told the court that they were not ready to question the witness and rather sought an adjournment to enable them to apply for certified true copies of exhibits already tendered.
Justice Ogbonnaya frowned at the adjournment request, describing it as unnecessary, as the exhibits tendered were original copies, which their clients didn’t deny their originality. According to the judge, requesting a certified true copy in place of the original copy was strange in legal practice, wondering why the deteriorating health of the first defendant was not a thing of concern to the defence team and enough to push them to rather seek the hastening of the progression of the case.
“I see no reason why you cannot cross-examine this witness today. There is no need to request a certified true copy when the originals are intact, and nobody has said they are missing. A certified true copy stands in the stead of the original when it cannot be found. If this request is granted, that means there will be two originals. All the documents have been served to the defendant,s who has not opposed. No court certifies any document that has been admitted. It means that there are two originals. As for your defendant that have not been granted bail, I would have thought that you would want to proceed and finish with this witness, but since you want to go home to have adequate time to prepare while this matter lingers, I will grant your request, but people should not say that judges are the ones wasting time. I don’t waste time,” she said.
The prosecution witness, who is the victim of the alleged fraud of the defendants, while being led in his testimony by prosecution counsel O.O Adeola, revealed that he was given some letters of contract award by the defendants following an agreement his company entered with the defendants. He also revealed that the second defendant, Prince Achem, addressed some letters to him and his company, requesting some funds, which he allegedly provided for him.
The documents in support of this claim were tendered and admitted in court.
Justice Ogbonnaya adjourned the matter till May 14, 21 and June 25, 202,6 for continuation of the trial. #Securitynewsalert.com
