At the resumed hearing of the alleged N4.56 billion fraud suit brought against the former Director, Pension Administration Dr. Sani Teidi Shuaibu, a Federal High Court judge, Justice Adamu Bello yesterday threatened to strike out the suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for lack of diligent prosecution.
It was learnt that the Judge gave the warning when no lawyer came to represent the anti-graft agency.
Counsel to the accused, Mr. Sunday Ameh (SAN), begged the court to strike out the charge on the ground that the charge was filed on October 17, 2011 and the accused was arraigned on April 3 last year. He stressed that the prosecution could not claim ignorance about the sitting because he was in court when the case was adjourned on July 19 last year.
Ameh said: “The prosecution had been present in court up till July 19, 2012 and the case was adjourned till November 14, 2012 before the court later adjourned till today (yesterday) at the instance of the prosecution.
“In a matter that is not coming up before the court for the first time for which parties have taken part in previous proceedings and particularly, in a criminal trial, it is the responsibility of the prosecution to know when the case is coming up.
“Even if the case was not properly adjourned, it is the responsibility of the parties to find out hearing date. The prosecution should have taken steps to find out about the adjourned date of the case.”
It will be recalled that last year, the court granted an order of interim forfeiture of the property of Shuaibu.
The forfeited property include (a) a building, No 24, Ahmadu Musa Crescent, Jabi, Abuja; (b) Brefina Hotel at Plot 1106, (Beside MTN) warehouse, adjacent to Vines Hotel, Durumi, Abuja; (c) A house at No 1, Shuaibu Close, opposite Governor’s House, Idah; (d) Riba-Ile Petroleum Ltd; (e) MRS Ajaka (registered as Riba-Ile Oil Ltd; (f) MRS Idah station, Idah, registered with Hammo Oil, Nigeria.
Others are NNPC Mega station, Idah junction, Ayingba, registered with Hammo Oil, Nig. Ltd. (h) MRS Filling Station at Ganaja, Lokoja; (i)Registered with A.Y. Ted Oil Ltd; (j) A mansion at Idah, opposite Federal Polytechnic, Idah; (k) SunTrust Properties Company Ltd; (l) Plot B59, Dawaki Extension Layout, Bwari Area Council, Abuja; (m) An Estate of about 10 bungalows, lying and being at Dantata Street, Nyanyan, FCT, Abuja.