N5.8 Billion Corruption Cases, Others Stalled By JUSUN Strike

Five corruption cases worth N5.8 billion and other high profile lawsuits have been put on hold since the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) commenced a nationwide strike last month.

Due to the strike, courts across the country are shut down and consequently not attending to cases or any other matter.

The JUSUN strike which began on April 6 is geared towards compelling the federal and state governments to ensure judicial autonomy, amongst other demands.

In a recent communique issued after its National Executive Council meeting held on Wednesday, JUSUN’s National Deputy President, Comrade Emmanuel Abioye, and General Secretary, I.M. Adetola, vowed to continue with the action until the federal government complied with their demands.

“NEC-in-session vows to continue with the ongoing industrial action until the provision of the constitution in contention is fully complied with as the provisions of the constitution arc non-negotiable.

“NEC-in-session warns that no member of any branch or Chapter of the union should be victimized on account of this ongoing strike,” the communique partly read.

Based on the development, the following high profile cases are stalled in courts:

Abdulrasheed Maina (Alleged Money Laundering)

The embattled former chairman of the Pension Reform TaskTeam, Abdulrasheed Maina, is facing N2.1billion money laundering charges at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

He is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) and was arraigned in October 2019.

EFCC had closed its case while Maina was allowed by trial judge Okong Abang to open his defense.

Maina had also subpoenaed certain persons including Femi Falana SAN to testify in the trial.

Bureau of Public Enterprises DG, Benjamin Ezra Dikki (Alleged PHCN Scam)

The former Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, Benjamin Ezra Dikki, is being prosecuted at a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja for allegedly scamming members of staff of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to the tune of N1 billion.

He was arraigned by the EFCC on March 1 and his trial was adjourned to April 15.

EFCC said he, “allegedly received about a billion naira as gratification from Bestworth Insurance Brokers for his role in facilitating the approval of outstanding insurance premiums and claims of deceased and incapacitated staff of Power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN).”

Retd Commodore Umar Mohammed ( Alleged Money Laundering)

Retd Commodore Umar Mohammed and his company, Easy Jet Integrated Service Ltd are being accused of over $1 million (and other currencies) money laundering as well as unlawful possession of firearms.

The office of the Attorney General had also tendered the monies as exhibits before trial Judge Inyang Ekwo.

Part of the charge against the Retd Air Chief reads: “That you, Air Commodore Umar Mohammed (rtd), 54 years, male and Easy Jet Integrated Services Ltd on or about 19th June, 2016, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, received the sum of one million, thirty thousand American Dollars ($1,030,000) in cash from Worldwide Consortium PTY Ltd, as payment for freight services, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b ) of the Money Laundering Act 2011 (as Amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) and (4) of the same Section of the

The case was adjourned to 27 April “for adoption of processes and final written addresses.”

Stella Oduah ( Alleged Money Laundering)

Recall that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had adjourned the arraignment and subsequent trial of former Minister of Aviation, Stella Adaeze Oduah and others, to April 19.

One of the Counts read; “That you Stella Adaeze Oduah whilst being the Minister of Aviation, Federal Republic of Nigeria and Gloria Odita whilst being the Company Secretary to Sea Petroleum & Gas Company Ltd (SPGC), and an aide to the former Minister of Aviation on or about the 12th day of February, 2014 at Abuja within the Abuja Judicial Division of this Honourable Court used your positions to transfer the sum of N1, 629,250,000.00 (One Billion, Six Hundred and Twenty Nine Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only) from 1-Sec Security Nig. Ltd account No. 2021756955 with First Bank Plc to Global Offshore and Marine Ltd account No. 2022977296 also domiciled with First Bank Plc, which money you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (6) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act”.

The EFCC is prosecuting the matter.

Olisa Metuh (Retrial)

Following the quashing of his seven years jail term by the Appeal Court Abuja, the People’s Democratic Party’s spokesperson, Olisa Metuh will be retried by another trial judge.

A three-man panel led by Justice Stephen Adah gave the verdict and overturned his sentencing on the ground that the trial judge, Okong Abang, was biased in his judgement.

His retrial was yet to begin, but the EFCC had approached the Supreme Court in bid to set aside the appeal court verdict. A date for hearing is yet to be announced.

Baba Ijesha (Alleged Sexual and Gender Based Violence)

Popular Nollywood actor, Olarenwaju James, also known as Baba Ijesha, was recently granted bail on May 17 by a magistrate weeks after he was arrested for alleged sexual molestation of a minor.

THE WHISTLER reported that the police in Lagos State had on April 22 arrested Baba Ijesha on the grounds that the Yoruba film actor allegedly molested a 14-year-old girl.

His arraignment was also stalled by the JUSUN strike.

Akpan Uduak

Despite confessing that he was the alleged killer of an Akwa Ibom job seeker, Iniobong Umoren, court action against the suspect has yet to begin.

Uduak claimed to have killed Umoren by using a stabilizer and pressing iron to hit her during an attempt to rape the deceased.

The matter brought widespread outrage.

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command had also been accused of trying to bury the case following a report which claimed that Uduak was not the only suspect in the sad incident.

Nnamdi Kanu ( Alleged Treason)

The trial of the leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has been adjourned many times; the last one was because the judge was indisposed.

Kanu was accused of treason and the federal government alleged that IPOB was a threat to national security, but his lawyers had denied that.

Omoyele Sowore (Alleged Treason)

The #RevolutionNow convener, Omoleye Sowore, was charged with treason and unlawful assembly at a Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja.

He was arrested by the Department of States Services (DSS) on August 3, 2019, while witnesses were brought to testify and be cross examined.

Doyin Okupe (Alleged Money Laundering)

Mr Okupe, a former spokesperson to former President Goodluck Jonathan, is also standing trial for receiving funds from the embattled ex-National Security Adviser, Mr Dasuki.

The EFCC is prosecuting him on a 59-count charge before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, alongside two companies belonging to him – Value Trust Investments and Abrahams Telecoms – for allegedly laundering N702 million.

Mr Okupe, a chieftain of the opposition PDP, was arrested by the agency on December 12, 2018, but later released on administrative bail. He was rearrested on January 11, 2019 but again released on bail.