Alleged fraud: EFCC appeals judgment acquitting Oronsaye

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it is not satisfied with yesterday’s judgment of a Federal High Court Abuja, which acquitted a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Stephen Oronsaye for N2bn money laundering charge brought against him. Justice Inyang Ekwo had held that the allegations by the EFCC lacked merit, […]

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it is not satisfied with yesterday’s judgment of a Federal High Court Abuja, which acquitted a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Stephen Oronsaye for N2bn money laundering charge brought against him.

Justice Inyang Ekwo had held that the allegations by the EFCC lacked merit, and that the commission failed to provide adequate evidence to warrant Oronsaye’s conviction.

Reacting to the judgement, the EFCC  said the judge erred by overlooking the evidence of the 21 witnesses called by the prosecution in the course of the trial as well as the confessional statement of one of the defendants, Osarenkhoe Afe.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement, said the commission had, therefore, decided to challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal.

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Oronsaye was in 2016 arraigned alongside Osarenkhoe Afe, Managing Director of Fedrick Hamilton Global Services Limited, on a 49-count charge.

The charges were later amended to 22  after it was separated from that of the former head of the Presidential Pension Task Force, Abdulrasheed Maina, who was then at large.

Three companies: Cluster Logistic Limited, Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited were also joined in the charge preferred against Oronsaye by the EFCC.

The EFCC had accused Oronsaye of funds’ diversion during the civil service biometric data project.

By Idowu Isamotu & John Chuks Azu