Money laundering: Goje absent in court, case adjourned
A Federal High Court, sitting in Jos, on Tuesday adjourned a case in suit number FHC/GM/33/2014, filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), against the former Gombe State governor, Senator Danjuma Goje and four others.
Goje is being prosecuted by the EFCC on an 18-count charge bordering on money laundering and diversion of public funds before Justice B.O. Quadri.
Goje’s case was originally fixed to hold yesterday (Tuesday), but due to his absence and that of the defendant and Sabo Muhammed, the second defendant during the hearing at the court, the case was adjourned to 14 and 15 June.
Prior to the adjournment of the case, the counsel to the accused, Adeniyi Adelayo (SAN) had filed an application seeking for the adjournment of the case, explaining that the case should not be continued on the ground that the first and second defendants were absent.
According to Adelayo, “the reason for Goje’s absence was due to the controversy over the 2016 budget in which he (Goje) who is the Chairman, Committee on Appropriation had to stay back and clear some significant issues.
Responding, counsel to the EFCC, Wahab Shittu (SAN), admitted that, on Monday, at about 5a.m., he received communication that one of the accused was involved in an accident and currently on treatment and the other on national assignment, and that the court should give a new date for the hearing.
Shittu said, “There is no argument over the absence of the first and second accused persons based on the report presented. We have no reason to refuse for the adjournment.
“We are simply satisfied with the adjournment. We are ready to continue with the proceedings and hearing on June when the two accused are ready”, he added.
