The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday gave more time to a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (retd.), to discuss his proposed plea bargain with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The anti-graft agency charged the ex-NAF chief and 10 others with an alleged fraud of N22.8bn.
On February 12, 2018, Amosu had, through his lawyer, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), told the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, that he was considering entering into a plea bargain.

About 16 months earlier, he had first broached his intention to enter into a plea bargain, but he later abandoned it.

It was learnt that the ex-NAF chief was scared off the initiation negotiation by the terms imposed by the anti-graft agency.

At the Wednesday’s proceedings, the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court that the parties had yet to reach “any concrete agreement that is acceptable to the complainant.”

He said the prosecution, which had already opened its case and called a number of witnesses, was “ready to go on with trial.”

Responding, Amosu’s lawyer, Ayorinde said his client had “left everything in the hands of the EFCC, to see how we proceed.”

In view of other cases pending before the court on Wednesday, Oyedepo agreed with the judge’s suggestion that the case be further adjourned.

With the agreement, an investigator with the EFCC, Tosin Owobo, who was about entering into the witness box to continue his part-heard testimony, could not proceed.

The judge adjourned further proceedings in the case till March 27.

Amosu was charged with the alleged N22.8bn fraud alongside Air Vice Marshal Jacob Adigun and Air Commodore Gbadebo Olugbenga.

Joined with them in the charges are eight companies, which they allegedly used to siphon the N22.8bn from the coffers of the Nigerian Air Force.

The companies are Delfina Oil and Gas Limited, Mcallan Oil and Gas Limited, Hebron Housing and Properties Company Limited, Trapezites BDC, and Fonds and Pricey Limited.

Culled: punchng.com