The absence of the prosecuting team from the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police Force, on Monday, stalled the trial of eight staff and a businessman accused of stealing N451 million from Dangote Sugar Refinery Ltd.
The staff are Musa Sule, Joseph Ukpah, Babatunde Ajao, Onyekwere Chinedu, Alayande Rahman, Omoro Ezekiel, Abugba Christian Odion and Mannir Mohammed.
A businessman, Habib Mande and his company, El-Habib Property Nigeria Ltd, are also facing trial alongside the defendants on an eight-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, forgery of cheque requisition form and rendering false document.
According to the prosecution, the defendants, who committed the offences between 2012 and 2016 alongside Zainab Adebanjo, who is now at large, conspired and stole N451 million belonging to the company
“On November 30, 2015, September 7, 2015 and April 26, 2016, they also forged and uttered false cheque requisition forms with numbers 132243, 132229 and 132279, respectively,” Jackson said, adding that the offences contravened Sections 383(1), 390(9), 465, 467 468 and 561 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004..
Counsel to the defendants, Messrs S. E. Okeke, Kola Kadiri and A. O. Omodele, expressed their dismay for the failure of Mr Emmanuel Jackson to attend Monday’s proceedings.
They urged the court to take cognizance of the defence counsel’s actions and strike out the case due to lack of diligent prosecution.
Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya, adjourned the case until January 20, 2021 for continuation of trial.
