Alleged N6bn Fraud: Court again adjourns Goje’s corruption trial

The Federal High Court in Jos on Friday further adjourned the alleged N6 billion fraud case against former Gombe State Governor, Danjuma Goje, by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

NAN reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was prosecuting the case for almost eight years until June 7 when it handed over the case file to the AGF.

The development raised eyebrows, coming shortly after Mr Goje met President Muhammadu Buhari and agreed to step down from the race for the presidency of the Senate to back the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the position, Ahmed Lawan.

NAN reports that the anti-graft Agency filed a 21-count charge of alleged N25 billion against Mr Goje but later narrowed it to N6 billion.

Again, 19 of the 21 charges were later struck out, leaving only two counts in Mr Goje’s “submission of No Case”

The case, which is before Justice Babatunde Quadiri of Jos Federal High Court II, has even gone to the Jos Court of Appeal as Mr Goje appealed against decision of lower court with no date fixed for the matter before the EFCC handed off.

When the case came up for hearing on Friday before Justice Quadiri, Pius Akutah, an Assistant Chief State Counsel in the office of AGF, applied for a short adjournment to enable them study the case file.

“My Lord, l wish to confirm to this honorable Court that the EFCC has formally forwarded the case file to us, having taken over the matter from them on June 7.

“We are aware that on that day, June 7, the case was adjourned for further hearing, but because we are still studying the case file to have full grasp of entire matter, we shall be asking for a short adjournment, “ Akutah pleaded.

Responding, Oladele Oyelami, counsel to Mr Goje, did not object to the application for adjournment.

“My Lord, on our part we are not objecting to the application made the the prosecution counsel,” Mr Oyelami said.

Justice Quadiri, however, adjourned the case to July 4, for further hearing. (NAN)