Alleged N109b fraud: Ex-AG-F Idris’ failure to call witness stalls trial

The failure of a former Accountant General of the Federation (AG-F), Ahmed Idris, to call his witness yesterday stalled proceedings in his trial with three others over alleged N109 billion fraud.

Idris was expected to open his defence yesterday in the trial-within-trial being conducted in the case to ascertain the voluntariness or otherwise of his extra-judicial statements.

The trial-within-trial was necessitated by Idris’ claim that he was, among others, hoodwinked by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to admit some allegations against him.

The prosecution has since closed its case in the trial-within-trial during which it called some witnesses, mostly officials of the EFCC, who interrogated Idris and took statements from him.

In their testimonies, the witnesses denied Idris’ claim that he was hoodwinked into admitting some of the allegations against him and agreeing to cooperate with the investigators.

At the mention of the case yesterday, his lawyer, Kanayo Okafor, averred that although the first defendant (Idris) was scheduled to open his defence in the trial-within-trial, it would be impossible for him to proceed because his witness was not available.

Okafor said his client had planned to call a lawyer, Ituen Odudu Abasi, who witnessed the recording of some of Idris’ statements, explaining that the proposed witness was bereaved and could not make it to court.

He sought an adjournment, which the prosecution lawyer, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, objected to, arguing that it was the law that a defendant should always act as his/her first witness in a trial-within-trial where he/she is to testify in the proceedings.

Atolagbe cited some authorities and urged the court to direct that the first defendant, who was present in court, mount the witness box and testify as his first witness.

When the judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu, asked him to respond to Atolagbe’s argument, Okafor said the defence team had not prepared the first defendant as a witness, as required.

He again prayed the court to grant his request for an adjournment to enable him prepare his witness, a request the judge granted and adjourned till March 11, 2025.