The Federal High Court in Abuja’s decision to clear Mr. Stephen Oronsaye, a former head of the federal civil service, of the N2 billion money laundering charge that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had brought against him and others, will be appealed.
Justice Inyang Ekwo ruled that the Commission had failed to prove its case against the defendants and so dismissed the accusation.
However, according to a statement from the Commission’s spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren, the trial judge made a mistake by ignoring the testimony of the 21 witnesses the prosecution called during the trial as well as Osarenkhoe Afe’s confessional statement, one of the defendants. As a result, it has chosen to contest the judgement before the Court of Appeal.
Oronsaye’s corruption trial commenced in 2015 when he was docked alongside the Managing Director of Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited, Mr. Osarenkhoe Afe and three companies – Cluster Logistic Limited; Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited.
The 1st and 2nd defendants, had between 2010 and 2011, used the companies as vehicles to siphon public funds to the tune of N2 billion through contract fraud.
They were prosecuted on an amended 27–count charge.
