The ongoing trial of businessman, Abubakar Ali Peters and his company, Nadabo Energy Limited, for an alleged N1.4billion fraud before Justice Christopher Balogun of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja could not continue on Tuesday, owing to the absence of the defence counsel in court, Osagie Isiramen.
When asked by the Court where his lawyer was, the defendant said his flight from Kaduna got cancelled.”
But, EFCC’s Seidu Atteh, urged the Court to take note of the fact that “We have had similar excuses in the past.”
The judge also observed that the defence counsel gave no prior notice of his absence to either the Court or the prosecution.
“You better know what you are doing,” the Judge said to the defendant, noting that the witness was also in Court, “so why should the lawyer delay us”, he asked.
Justice Balogun, further held that “In the circumstance, this Court will give the first and second defendants a last chance till tomorrow morning, Wednesday, December 8, 2021 to continue with the hearing of this matter.”
Abubakar and his company, Nababo Energy Limited, who were arraigned on December 10, 2012, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly using forged documents to obtain the sum of N1,464,961,978.24 from the Federal Government as oil subsidy, after allegedly inflating the quantity of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, purportedly imported and supplied by the company.
They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
