Ex-gov Aliyu, Nasko face fresh trial for alleged N2bn fraud

A former governor of Niger State, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and his former Chief of Staff, Umar Gado Nasko are going to face retrial for their alleged N2 billion fraud.

This came as Justice A.B. Aliyu of the Federal High Court, Minna, Niger State, on Tuesday relisted the fraud case involving the duo.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Aliyu and Nasko, (first and second defendants respectively) on three-count amended charge of breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N2 billion, which was struck out on June 19, 2020.

Following the abrupt termination of the case, prosecution counsel, Faruk Abdalla, on October, 13, 2020 filed a motion to set aside the June 19, 2020 ruling as well as an order for the relisting of the charge.

READ ALSO: Court fixes date for pre-hearing of N2bn alleged fraud trial of ex-Gov Aliyu

Abdalla supported the application with 21-paragraph affidavit, deposed to by Samuel Chime, stating that, “We rely on all the paragraphs; we also file a written address in support, we adopt the written address as our oral submission and we pray the court to grant our prayers in the motion papers.”

Mamman Mike Osman (SAN) and counsel to Nasko, who was represented by Iloh Bekeme Asuelemeh, while speaking on behalf of the defence team prayed the court to set aside the application, noting that the defence had filed a 33 paragraph counter-affidavit, deposed to by John Kyrian Etuk, and documented as exhibit QJ1-QJ6, which he said had been adopted as the written address of the defence.

Justice Aliyu slated October 27, 2020 for ruling on the matter.

When the matter came up as slated, Justice Aliyu ruled in favour of the prosecution.

The judge, however, reinstated the bail granted to the defendants and adjourned the matter till November 23 and 24, 2020, for trial.

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