Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed proceedings in the case involving the Nigerian Police and Senator Andy Uba until March 17.
Naijaonpoint understands that the adjournment was necessitated by the filing of a two-count amended charge by the police on March 4, which had yet to be served on the defendants.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) instituted the amended charge, which revolves around allegations of a ₦400 million fraud, against Senator Uba, Crystal, and Benjamin Etu.
During the court session, Lukeman Anthony Esq. appeared on behalf of the prosecution (IGP), while C.F. Odiniru represented the defendants.
In outlining the case, Anthony informed the court that the session was set for arraignment and that an amended charge had been filed.
Justice Ekwo then inquired about the date of filing, to which the police counsel responded that the amended charge was submitted on March 4.
The judge further asked whether the defendants had been served, but the prosecution confirmed that they had not yet received the document.
Following this revelation, Justice Ekwo sought to know how much time the prosecution required to serve the amended charge, and Anthony requested seven days.
Consequently, the court instructed that the amended charge be served on the first and second defendants.
One of the charges reads: Count One: “That you Andy Uba, Benjamin Etu and Hajiya Fatima now at large, sometimes between the year 2022, within the jurisdiction of the Court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit an offence to wit: obtaining by false pretences by making a presentation to George Uboh, you have perfected way to an appointment of the Managing Directorship of NDDC Niger Delta Development Commission to any interested person who can afford the sum of ₦400,000,000 (Four Hundred Million Naira only), a presentation which you know is not true and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8 and punishable under section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.”
Count Two: “That you Andy Uba, Benjamin Etu and Hajiya Fatima, now at large, sometimes between the year 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Court did conspire amongst yourselves with intention to defraud did induce George Uboh by making a presentation to him that you have perfected way to give an appointment of ... of Managing Directorship of (NDDC) Niger Delta Development Commission to any interested person who can afford the sum of ₦400,000,000 (Four Hundred Million Naira only), a presentation which you know is not true, you collected the money and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 (2) and punishable under section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”
With the court’s directive for service of the amended charge, further developments in the case are expected at the next hearing.