MONEY LAUNDERING: Court adjourns ex-NAF officer’s trial over ill health

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday adjourned the trial of a member of the Presidential Committee on Procurement of Arms and Equipment in the Armed Forces, Air Commodore Umar Mohammed (retd), till December 7 due to ill health.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Mohammed on an amended five-count charge of money laundering, illegal possession of firearms and possession of official documents without lawful authority in 2016.

The judge fixed the date after Mohammed’s counsel, Hassan Liman (SAN), told the court that his client had a surgery and couldn’t sit down now.

Earlier, EFCC lead prosecution counsel, Daniel Bwala, told the court that although he was ready for trial, Mohammed absent.

Bwala added that the defence served him with a letter, claiming the first defendant was ill.

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He said: “On the last date, the court gave us four days to open and close our case. The first defendant’s lawyer has brought a letter from the hospital that the first defendant was sick.

“The case has been in the court for about four years, but trial has not commenced.”

Liman asked the court for one month’s adjournment, saying his client would be strong enough to stand trial by that time.

Bwala did not object to the defence counsel’s application for adjournment and Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter till December 7 for the prosecution to commence trial.

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