Fraud: Court Dismisses Belgore, Ex-Minister’s No-case Submission

Related stories

How Boko Haram Attacked Ex-COAS Buratai’s Convoy, Escapes Death In Borno — Reveals Ndume

By Kolawole Ojebisi The lawmaker representing Borno South in the...

Gambaryan Quits Binance After Brush With Nigerian Government

By Kolawole Ojebisi Months after regaining his freedom from the...

Drama as Tinubu’s Aide, Aliyu Audu Resigns

By Abiola Olawale Aliyu Audu, Senior Special Assistant to President...

Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday, April 12, 2018, dismissed the no-case submission filed by Muhammed Belgore, SAN, a former governorship candidate during the 2011 Kwara State gubernatorial election, and Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, a former Minister of National Planning.
Belgore is standing trial alongside Sulaiman for allegedly receiving the sum of N450m on March 27, 2015 out of the $115,010,000 paid into Fidelity Bank Plc by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezanni Allison-Madueke, to compromise the 2015 general election.
The judge further directed the defendants to proceed with their defence.
The defendants had, on February 15, 2018, told the court that they had no
case to answer.
They had further argued that “all that the prosecution has against us are mere hear-say evidence.”
The defendants had, therefore, urged the court to discharge them from the criminal trial.
In his short ruling today, Justice Aikawa stated that he had he read the “erudite submissions” of the respective counsels in support and in opposition to
the no-case submission and had formed an opinion that both the first and second and second defendants had a case to answer.
Consequently, the judge dismissed the no-case submission filed by the first and second defendants respectively.
Counsel to the first defendant, Seni M. Adio, thereafter, brought an application before the court, urging the court to order the prosecution to front-load all the statements of the first defendant.
Adio claimed that the prosecution hoarded some of his client’s statements, adding that “they were not tendered before the court.”
However, counsel to the prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo, countered the allegations, saying that “My lord, we are not a party to hiding any statement. All the statements made voluntarily by the first defendant have been front-loaded before the court.”
Oyedepo further argued that the claim by the defence was just an attempt to delay trial.
Oyedepo also urged the court to dismiss the application as incompetent, stating further that “ I have just been served in court and the application is not ripe for hearing.
Justice Aikawa adjourned the matter to April 30, 2018 and ordered the prosecution to make a formal application for the motion to be taken and determined on merit.

Hamilton Nwosa
Hamilton Nwosa
Hamilton Nwosa is an experienced, and committed communication, business, administrative, data and research specialist . His deep knowledge of the intersection between communication, business, data, and journalism are quite profound. His passion for professional excellence remains the guiding principle of his work, and in the course of his career spanning sectors such as administration, tourism, business management, communication and journalism, Hamilton has won key awards. He is a delightful writer, researcher and data analyst. He loves team-work, problem-solving, organizational management, communication strategy, and enjoys travelling. He can be reached at: hamilton_68@yahoo.com

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

[tds_leads input_placeholder="Your email address" btn_horiz_align="content-horiz-center" pp_msg="SSd2ZSUyMHJlYWQlMjBhbmQlMjBhY2NlcHQlMjB0aGUlMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyMyUyMiUzRVByaXZhY3klMjBQb2xpY3klM0MlMkZhJTNFLg==" pp_checkbox="yes" tdc_css="eyJhbGwiOnsibWFyZ2luLXRvcCI6IjMwIiwibWFyZ2luLWJvdHRvbSI6IjQwIiwiZGlzcGxheSI6IiJ9LCJwb3J0cmFpdCI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMTUiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMjUiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sInBvcnRyYWl0X21heF93aWR0aCI6MTAxOCwicG9ydHJhaXRfbWluX3dpZHRoIjo3NjgsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMjAiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMzAiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sImxhbmRzY2FwZV9tYXhfd2lkdGgiOjExNDAsImxhbmRzY2FwZV9taW5fd2lkdGgiOjEwMTksInBob25lIjp7Im1hcmdpbi10b3AiOiIyMCIsImRpc3BsYXkiOiIifSwicGhvbmVfbWF4X3dpZHRoIjo3Njd9" display="column" gap="eyJhbGwiOiIyMCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTAiLCJsYW5kc2NhcGUiOiIxNSJ9" f_msg_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_input_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_btn_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_family="downtown-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_weight="700" f_btn_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_transform="uppercase" btn_text="Unlock All" btn_bg="#000000" btn_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxOCIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjE0IiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxNCJ9" input_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjEyIiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxMCJ9" pp_check_color_a="#000000" f_pp_font_weight="600" pp_check_square="#000000" msg_composer="" pp_check_color="rgba(0,0,0,0.56)" msg_succ_radius="0" msg_err_radius="0" input_border="1" f_unsub_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_msg_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_weight="500" f_msg_font_weight="500" f_unsub_font_weight="500"]

Latest stories

NDN
Latest News
How Boko Haram Attacked Ex-COAS Buratai's Convoy, Escapes Death In Borno --- Reveals NdumeGambaryan Quits Binance After Brush With Nigerian GovernmentDrama as Tinubu’s Aide, Aliyu Audu ResignsNigerians Have Behaved Badly For 'A Very Long Time', LP's Alex Otti Backs Tinubu's Fuel Subsidy RemovalOne Third Of Dangote Refinery Crude From US as Scarce Local Supplies Stall Refinery's Capacity, Says BloombergTinubu Running Govt. of 'Propaganda And Lies', Says Peter Obi2027: Ijaw Group Threatens To Prevent Election In Warri If...Sanwo-olu Breaks Silence On Alleged Rift With Tinubu, Calls President 'Father And Leader'Tinubu Tells Sanwo-Olu At Lagos Peace Meeting: "All is Forgiven"Pope Leo XIV Urges Faithful to Open Borders, Break Down Barriers, Embrace LoveJune 12: Tinubu To Address Senate, Reps Joint Session On Democracy DayNUT Speaks On Why FG's Planned Computer-based Examinations Won't Curb MalpracticesTension in Colombia as Presidential Hopeful Miguel Uribe Shot 3 Times at Campaign Rally in Critical StateGowon Reflects on Nigerian Civil War, Says It Was a Painful Duty, Not a ChoiceNigeria Celebrates Democracy as FG Declares June 12 Public Holiday
X whatsapp