THE Federal Government has amended the $2.1 billion arms funds diversion charge against former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) and others.
In the amended charge, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Uche Secondus, former Chairman Board of Trustees PDP Tony Anenih; former PDP spokesperson Olisa Metuh; Publisher of Thisday, Nduka Obaigbena; ex-Senate President Iyorchia Ayu and founder, DAAR Communications Raymond Dokpesi were listed as beneficiary of the fraud.
Also listed are Mouftah Baba-Ahmed, Bello Abba Mohammed, Dr. Bello Mohammed, AVM M. N Umar and Otunba Jonah Ogunniyi, among others.
Apart from individuals, corporate organisations were also named as beneficiaries in the amended charge.
They are AMP Solar Service, Afro-Arab Investment, Bam Project and Projecties Limited, Bob Oshodin Organisation Limited, WEHSAC Farms Limited, Wehsac Limited, Dimaris Mode Coolture Limited, First ARALAC Global Limited, Stellavera Development Limited, Jawaz Multi-purpose Venture Limited, Little Italy Global Services Limited, Belsha Nigeria Ltd and Syvan McNamara Limited among others.
The amended charge was filed at the Abuja Federal High Court, where the old one is pending.
The amended charge of 32 count will replace the earlier 18-counts filed against the defendants about three years ago.
Another amendment of the earlier charge is the removal of a former Director of Finance and Supply in the ONSA, Salisu Shuaib (who served while Dasuki was NSA) as a defendant in the case.
The amended charge dated April 30, 2018 was signed by Mr. Chile Okoroma, Director of Legal Services with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The prosecution did not give any reason yesterday why it amended the charge and why the alteration was effected.
The earlier charge filed in 2015 had Dasuki, Shuaib, Aminu Baba Kusa, Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited as defendants.
The amended charge, sighted yesterday, now has Dasuki, Aminu Baba Kusa, Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
Justice Baba-Yusuf has adjourned to May 17, for the re-arraignment of the defendants on the amended charge.
At the beginning of proceedings yesterday, lead prosecution lawyer Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) informed the court about the amendment to the charge and urged the court to accept it.
Jacobs said: “We have served them (the defendants) the additional documents and we have also filed an amended charge dated and filed April 30, 2018.
“I urge my Lord to accept the amended charge and allow it”.
Jacobs told the court that “one of the reasons for allowing it is that it tends to remove the second defendant and also there are additional counts to make them 32 counts”.
Lawyer to Dasuki, Ahmed Raji (SAN), confirmed the receipt of the amended charge.
He urged the court to graciously avail the first defendant more time to enable them study the additional counts.
Raji said: “I confirm that around 5:30pm on Monday, my office was served. Yesterday, there was no work. So, this morning, my attention was brought to it.
“I have not had the privilege of discussing the content with the first defendant. I scantily went through it and discovered that the counts are now almost double,” Raji said.
-The Nation
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