Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Jabi, Abuja, on Wednesday, November 8, 2017 adjourned a fraud case involving two former officials of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation – Mohammed Dogonyaro Audu also known as Abdullahi Dogonyaro Mohammed and Yahaya Ayodeji, to Monday November 13, 2017 for judgment, following the absence of the first defendant, Audu.

Audu and Ayodeji were arraigned on May 26, 2015, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 10-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy and complicity in award of contract to the tune of N1 billion.

They allegedly abused their offices by floating companies through which they cornered contracts emanating from the Economic Reforms and Governance Project (ERGP), Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) domiciled in the office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

Count three of the charge reads:

“That you, Mohammed Dogonyaro Audu (a.k.a Abdullahi Dogonyaro Mohammed) and Yahaya Ayodeji while employed in the public service on the 5th of August 2011 at Abuja, in the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly acquired a private interest through your company AY-Quest Worldwide Limited in a contract awarded for the procurement of GIFMIS training materials emanating from the Economic Reform and Governance Project (ERGP), office of the Accountant General of the Federation wherein you are both employed and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 12 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the counts.

After months of trial in which several witnesses testified, case was adjourned to today for judgment.

At the resumed sitting, Audu’s counsel, A. S. Odariko informed the court that his client could not make it to court because they got the information late. He subsequently asked for adjournment.

“My lord, we only became aware of the judgment yesterday through phone call and no hearing notice was served on us. The first defendant has never failed to be in court all these while. I pray for an adjournment to enable me produce him”, Odarika prayed.

The counsel to the EFCC, Cosmas Ugwu, while not objecting asked the court to make it “a short adjournment”.

“We’ll not mind to come back on Monday for judgment”, he said.

Update news