The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC) on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, presented its 9th and last Prosecution Witness, PW9, Ape Sunday against Senator Gabriel Suswam, former governor of Benue State.
The EFCC is prosecuting Senator Suswan alongside his former Commissioner for Finance, Mr Omodachi Okolobia on an amended 11-count charge, bordering on diversion of public funds to the tune of N3.1 billion (Three Billion, One Hundred Million) being part of the proceeds from the sale of the state government’s shares, held on its behalf by the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, prosecuting counsel, A.O Atolagbe told the Court that the prosecution was presenting its 9th and last of its witnesses, indicating that it was closing its case with the testimony of the witness.
The closing of the EFCC’s case with PW9 followed the inability of the 10th Prosecution Witness, PW10, Mrs Shiedu Awade to testify in court owing to ill health.
The 9th Prosecution Witness, PW9, who is an investigator with the EFCC, informed the Court that PW10, a former Cashier and executive officer with the Benue Investment and Property Ltd has been on admission at the National Hospital, Abuja and that it was impossible for her to show up in court to testify due to the serious nature of her illness.
In response to prosecution’s final presentation of witnesses, counsels to the first and second defendants C.E Ugbozor and Paul Erokoro, SAN, respectively told the Court that they will be filing “a no case submission”.
They therefore urged the trial judge to grant them 14 days period to so, just as the prosecution Counsel requested the Court to grant him 21days to enable him file his response to the defence’s “no case submission.”
Accordingly, Justice Lifu adjourned the matter till June 24, 2025 for the adoption of the defence of “no case submission.”
