N1.2bn fraud: Fresh trouble for Oronsaye, others

N1.2bn fraud: Fresh trouble for Oronsaye, others
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By Our Reporter  on November 4, 2015   National

From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

THE Federal Government has filed fresh charges against former Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF), Steve Oronsaye and five others before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The government, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had earlier filed a 24-count charge against Oronsaye and two other defendants over alleged fraud and money laundering offences involving N1.2 billion.
However, when the case came up yesterday, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Adebisi Adeniyi, informed Justice Gabriel Kolawole that he had filed an amended charge. He asked for the matter to be adjourned to enable him serve the three new co-defendants.
With the filing of the amended charge, the initial 24-count charge has risen to 35, while the number of defendants increased from three to six.
The amended charge dated, November 2, 2015, has the following defendants: Stephen Oronsaye (first), Osarenkhoe Afe (second), Global Services Limited (third), Cluster Logistics Limited (fouth), Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited (fifth) and Drew Investment and Construction Company Limited.
Opposing the process of filing the amended charge, Oronsaye’s lawyer, Mr. Kola Okeaya-Inneh (SAN), said the prosecution “cannot file an amended charge without a prior formal application.
But Justice Kolawole ruled that the prosecution could bring an amended charge at the stage of the proceedings without the need to file any formal application for leave of court to do so.
He, however, criticised the prosecution’s sudden realisation that it needed to file an amended charge when it was less than 24 hours to the date that had been fixed for the commencement of trial.
Justice Kolawole adjourned the matter till November 25 to enable the prosecution serve the fresh charges on the new co-defendants to enable them take their pleas.