Standup9ja: Court discharges Oronsaye of N190m fraud
A High Court of Federal Capital Territory sitting at Maitama
yesterday discharged a former Head of Service of Federation, Steve Orosanye, of
the seven-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust brought against
him by the Federal Government.
Oronsaye was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) allegedly committed between 2013 and 2014, by defrauding the
Federal Government of N190 million using his position as the then chairman of
the Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
He was accused of converting the N190 million to his
personal use through the investment of the fund in Access Bank Plc for a tenor
of 90 days at 9 and 12 percent interest rates “in violation of the extant
financial regulations”.
Upon the closing of the prosecution’s case, Oronsaye’s
counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN) told the court that EFCC’s charge ‘do not meet
the requirements of law’ and that no prima facie case has been established
against the defendant to warrant him to enter his defence.
Justice Olasumbo Goodluck in her ruling held that the
no-case submission filed by the defendant raised issues with colouration of
preliminary objection.
The judge ruled that though there was copious evidence from
some of the witnesses called by prosecution that Orosanye collected money from
the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Office of the National Security
Adviser (ONSA), which was entrusted to him, the court was unable to hold that
he converted same to his personal use.
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