Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos has fixed September 9, 2021 to rule on the no-case submission filed by Fidelis Umukoro who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for an alleged N164million fraud.
The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, who gave the notification in a statement on Monday, July 19, 2021, said that Umukoro was arraigned on February 11, 2020, alongside his company Raremax Global Investments Limited on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.
One of the counts read: “Fidelis Umukoro and Raremax Global Investments Limited sometime in the month of March 2018 to April 2019 at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division conspired among yourselves to steal the total sum of N164,960,829 million (One Hundred and Sixty-four Million Nine Hundred and Sixty Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty Nine Naira Only) property of A&P Foods Limited.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting the commencement of his trial.
After the prosecution closed its case, Umukoro, through his counsel, filed a no-case submission instead of opening his case.
At Monday’s proceeding, the prosecuting counsel, T.J. Banjo, adopted the prosecution’s written address, just as the defence did same.
Arguing for the prosecution, Banjo urged the court to take cognisance of the confessional statement of the defendant, which he gave to the EFCC in the course of investigation “admitting to the offence.”
“We urge the court to hold that prima facie case has been established against the defendant, and he should be called to enter his defence,” he said.
Afterwards, Justice Dada adjourned the trial till September 9, 2021.
