Alleged N1.4b fraud: EFCC closes case against ex-NBA President Usoro

By Robert EgbeThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday closed its case in the current alleged N1.4 billion fraud trial of embattled former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Paul Usoro (SAN).EFCC lawyer Uduak Kufre told Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Lagos that the prosecution was pleased with the evidence it adduced so far in the case.He prayed the court to discharge the agencys second and last witness, Mr. Mohammed Arabo.Responding, Mr. Effiong O. Effiong (SAN), who led three other Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), including Shina Sofola, as counsel to Usoro, informed the court of the defendants intention to file a no case submission.Justice Aikawa adjourned till March 12 for adoption of the no case submission.Read Also: EFCC urges Supreme Court to return Metuh to prisonUsoro was arraigned for the alleged offence on December 18, 2018, before Justice Muslim Hassan of the same court.He was re-arraigned on March 1, 2019 on a 10-count charge bordering on laundering money for some Akwa Ibom State government officials to the tune of N1.4 billion.One of the counts against the defendant reads: That you, Paul Usoro, SAN, Emmanuel Udom (currently constitutionally immune against criminal prosecution), Uwemedimo Thomas Nwoko (still at large), Nsikan Linus Nkan, Commissioner of Finance, Akwa Ibom State (still at large), Mfon Jacobson Udomah, Accountant-General, Akwa Ibom State (still at large) and Margaret Thompson Ukpe (still at large), sometime in 2015 in Nigeria, conspiredto commit an offence, to wit: conversion of N1,410,000,000,000 property of the Government of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria.
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