Admin l Friday, June 01, 2018
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – A Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos today fixed June 21 to rule on no case submission filed by retired Permanent Secretary, Mr. Clement Iloh Onuguogo through his lawyer, Chinedu Victor.
Clement Illoh Onubuogo was arraigned in October 16, 2017 on a 3-count charge of stealing and conversion of property to the tune over N14 million. Clement pleaded not guilty to the charges. EFCC has presented four witnesses in the course of the trial. The suspect was alleged to have been supervising numerous programmes such as the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P and allegedly awarded fictitious contracts to himself, using his personal company and friends.
One of the counts reads: ” That you, Clement Illoh, a.k.a Clement & Bob Associate, on or about 28th January, 2015 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court whilst still a Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of N14,176,000.00(Fourteen Million, One Hundred and Seventy- six Thousand Naira ) from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA), and you hereby committed an offense contrary to Section 279(1)(b) & 285(6) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State No,11,2011.”
The court had fixed today for the adoption of final written addresses in the trial, but his counsel, Mr. Victor Chinedu had filed a no case submission,asking court to discharge the permanent secretary.
Mr. Chinedu argued that prosecutor has not proved or made out a premia facia case capable of being the reason to call on the defendant to enter his defence.
In his response, the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo informed the court that the agency has filed a reply from point of law to counter the defence claims that it would amount to contesting the obivious. After entertaining submissions of counsel, the presiding judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo adjourned for ruling.
