Admin l Wednesday, May 20, 2020
CALABAR, Cross River, Nigeria – The Court of Appeal, sitting in Calabar, Cross River State has set aside the decison of a Federal High Court, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, which acquitted Edward Odey Oluohu, Frank Asuquo Okon, Godwin Etim Anwanadung and their companies, Blue Dolphin Limited and Lib-Zone Petroleum Limited, in a case of alleged oil bunkering brought before it by the Uyo Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC).
Justice Philomena Ekpe of the Court of Appeal, Calabar division set aside the decision and upheld the appeal filed by the commission, ordered retrial of the case and reassignment to another judge.
Delivering judgment on Monday May 18, 2020, at the Court of Appeal, Justice Ekpe on behalf of Justice M. L. Shuaibu, upheld the appeal filed by the EFCC and ordered a fresh trial.
“This appeal is meritorious and hereby allowed”, she ruled and thereafter ordered the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to reassign the matter to another Judge for retrial.
The EFCC had on May 22, 2018 arraigned Oluohu alongside Okon, Anwanadung and their companies, Blue Dolphin Limited and Lib-Zone Petroleum Limited before Justice F. O. Riman of the Federal High Court, Uyo, on a 6-count charge bordering on conspiracy and illegal dealing in petroleum products.
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When arraigned, the accused persons pleaded “not guilty” to all the counts, setting the stage for their trial which commenced on June 22, 2018.
In the course of trial, the prosecution, through its counsel, Nwandu Ukoha presented three witnesses and tendered 14 exhibits which were all admitted in evidence.
The defence counsel, Ime Umana moved a ‘No Case Submission’ arguing that the evidence against his clients were not sufficient to justify the continuation of trial and urged the court to discharge and acquit his client.
The EFCC will now start the trial of Blue Dolphin, Lib-zone Petroleum and their principal, Edward Odey Oluohu, Frank Asuquo Okon and Godwin Etim Anwanadung.
