The trial of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Mr Paul Usoro SAN for alleged N1.4billion fraud failed to resume on Monday following the judge’s absence.
The trial holding before Justice Mohammed Aikawa has now been adjourned till February 11.
Usoro is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 10 counts bordering on the offence.
He was first arraigned before Justice Muslim Hassan in December 2018, and he pleaded not guilty.
The case was re-assigned to Justice Aikawa soon after and Usoro maintained his plea and was granted bail.
Also mentioned in the charge, is the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Udom, who was described as being “currently constitutionally immune from prosecution”.
Others mentioned are: the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Finance, Nsikan Nkan; Accountant-General of Akwa Ibom State, Mfon Udomah; the Akwa Ibom Attorney-General, Uwemedimo Nwoko and Margaret Ukpe.
The aforementioned names were described in the charge as being at large.
In the charge marked FHC/418c/18, the anti-graft agency alleged that the defendant committed the offence on May 14, 2016.
Usoro was alleged to have conspired with others to commit the offence within the jurisdiction of the court.
The commission claimed that the N1.4bn belonged to the Akwa Ibom State Government.
The defendant was alleged to have conspired to convert the said sum, which he reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity.
The EFCC said the unlawful activity include criminal breach of trust which contravenes the provisions of sections 15 (2), 15(3), and 18 (A) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011
