EFCC Recovered N2.4bn, $115m, 12 Properties, Cars From Amosu- Witness

 A prosecution witness, Tosin Owobo, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, March 27, 2018, told Justice M.B. Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos that the sums of N2.4 billion, $115,000,000, 12 properties and bullet-proof cars were recovered from a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adeola Amosu(retd.).

He also told the court that the third defendant made a draft of N100m to the Federal Government through the Commission’s recovery account.

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, Owobo also stated that the Commission had secured interim forfeiture order on all the properties seized from Amosu and others.

“After securing the interim forfeiture order, the Commission visited, marked, sealed and restricted all the properties to show the general public that the said properties are under investigations by the EFCC,” he said.

However, the defence team led by Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, objected the evidence of the prosecution witness, saying that any evidence of the interim order not before the court or in the proof of evidence was irrelevant to the proceedings.

He further argued that “the witness cannot allude until the documents are put before your Lordship either in the proof or additional proof of evidence.

“The witness cannot give evidence on the content of the interim forfeiture order because the court and the defence team have not sighted the documents.

“The evidence given by the witness is not captured in Section 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA). “

Ayorinde also told the court that the evidence by the witness did not form part of the court records and that the interim forfeiture order had not been tendered before the court.

He, therefore, prayed the court to expunge the evidence given by the witness.

In his response, Oyedepo told the court that the submission of the defence was immature, adding that “My Lord, the witness confirmed to the court that the interim forfeiture order of the court was sought and obtained by the EFCC.

“The order contains the list of properties seized from Amosu and others. “

‘My Lord, the evidence cannot be said to be inadmissible”

Oyedepo, who also told the court that Section 379 of the ACJA does not govern the receiving of evidence, further urged the court to allow the witness to give evidence on what he knows about the matter.

In his short ruling, Justice Idris ruled in favour of the prosecution and asked the witness to continue his evidence.

After the court ruling, Oyedepo asked for an adjournment to enable him prepare for another criminal trial involving the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience Jonathan.

 Consequently, the court adjourned the case to April 18,  2018  for continuation of trial.

Wilson Uwujaren

Head, Media and Publicity