Politics
ALLEGED N190M THEFT: Court discharges Oronsaye
An FCT High Court, Maitama, presided over by Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, has declared that there was no justification for the N190million corruption charges leveled against Steve Oronsaye, former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and therefore discharged him.
Oronsaye who also was the chairman, Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force, set up by immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan, was arraigned on seven counts charges bordering on breach of trust and diversion of N190million meant for the committee he chaired.
The prosecution had on November 15 after calling six witnesses, closed it case.
Subsequently, Oronsaye on December 9, filed a no-case submission and argued that the prosecution had no case against him.
But ruling on the no case submission filed by the defendant on Tuesday, the presiding judge, Justice Goodluck, held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against Oronsaye.
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The judge said, “There was contradictory evidence by the prosecution witnesses on whether the defendant was still the head of service as at the time he chaired the committee. The court seems to discredit the evidence, suffice it to say that there is no evidence linking the accused with the statutory element and ingredients of the offence with which he is charged.
“The court of trial must as a matter of law discharge him because it has no business scanting for evidence that is nowhere to be found. I have looked through the case and I am unable to see any justifications for this case.
“The defendant is hereby discharged.”
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