Justice M.B.Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Monday, May 8, 2017, ruled that the claim by a former Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, that his statement was obtained under duress could not be substantiated.
Dudafa alongside Iwejuo Joseph Nna, a former banker with a new generation bank, are being prosecuted on a 23-count charge of conspiracy and concealment of crime proceeds to the tune of over N1.6bn.
The prosecution had sought to tender as exhibits the statements of the defendants.
However, the counsels to the defendants had objected to the admissibility of the documents, saying that the statements were involuntarily obtained.
Consequently, the judge had ordered a trial within trial of the proceedings.
In the course of the trial within trial ordered by the court, the prosecution had presented a number of witnesses who gave their testimonies.
In his ruling today, the judge said the defendants failed to show that their statements were obtained under duress.
The statements of the first and second defendants were tendered and admitted in evidence as exhibits G to G15 and H to H15 respectively.
Also, the court ordered the parties to file written addresses and adopt same.
The case was adjourned to June 21, 2017 for continuation of trial
