The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC has altered the seven-count charges against the former Minister of
Power, Olu Agunloye and advanced additional evidence against him.
Agunloye is facing prosecution by the EFCC
before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory,
(FCT) High Court, sitting in Apo, Abuja on
issues bordering on official corruption and fraudulent award of
Mambilla Power Project contract to the tune of $6billion
(Six Billion US Dollars).
At the last court proceedings, prosecution
counsel, Abba Muhammad, SAN, drew the attention of the
court to some amendments in
the seven-count charges and additional proofs of
evidence advanced against the defendant earlier
filed before the court and urged the court to allow the
defendant take his plea in the light of the amendments, while defence
counsel, Adeola Adedipe, SAN objected to the admission of the
amendments on the ground that the business of the day was for cross-
examination of the second prosecution witness (PW2), Adewale Agunbiade.
The prosecution counsel in his response,
established that it has the power to amend charges against any
defendant at any stage of trial before judgment, citing Section 216(1) and
(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA). While not
objecting to this right of the prosecution, the defence argued that a formal
leave of the court should be sought for the introduction of the amendments,
citing Section 218(2) of the same ACJA.
After listening to both parties, Justice
Onwuegbuzie held that a formal application
for the amendment of the charges should be presented by the
prosecution to which the defence counsel would respond on the next
adjourned date of November 11, 2024.
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