N1.64b fraud: Ex Gov Nyame has case to answer, says Court

The high court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Gudu District on Tuesday ruled that former Taraba state governor, Jolly Nyame have questions to answer on allegations of N1.64 billion fraud preferred against him.
Justice Adebukola Banjoko gave the order in her ruling on no case submission made Nyame who standing trial for laundering the sum of N1.64b belonging to Taraba state government while he was in office.

The judge said that the prosecution agency -the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had established through its evidence and exhibits that a prima facie case has been established against Nyame for him to enter defence.

The judge ,therefore adjourned to March 8, 2017 for defence, just as she added that defence will be on day to day trial in compliance with the provision of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

During the previous proceedings the EFCC had led evidence to sustain allegation that Nyame misappropriated N1.64 billion State funds while he was governor of Taraba.

Justice Bukola Banjoko had chosen the date for the ruling at the last sitting after listening to arguments of both prosecution and defense counsels, Adebisi Adeniyi and Charles Edosamwan (SAN), respectively, in regards to Nyame’s no-case submission in January.

When the case came up for hearing yesterday, Justice Banjoko held that the evidence brought against him by the prosecution has been able to establish against his no-case submission that he has a case to answer.

Nyame is being tried on a 41-count charge of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of state funds to the tune of N1.64 billion, when he was governor of Taraba state between 1999 and 2007.

The prosecution closed its case on November 22, 2016 after presenting 14 witnesses.