Former Benue State governor Gabriel Suswam did not show up in court on Thursday, and the long-running N3.1 billion fraud trial stalled again.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned the case to September 25, 2026, for counsel to adopt their final written addresses. The request came from Suswam’s lawyer, Paul Erokoro (SAN), who wrote to the court that he and his client could not attend for health reasons.
The prosecution objects
Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), prosecuting for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, fought the adjournment. “We are surprised that there is a letter from the first defendant’s counsel saying he will not be in court,” he said. He called the matter an 11-year-old case that has been before five judges, and asked only for a one-day break, to July 17, with Suswam joining by Zoom “even if he is at home.”
He said Suswam had been seen at public functions the week before. “They are making a mockery of the justice system,” Jacobs told the court. He also pointed out that no medical report had been put before the judge, and cited Section 266 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, which he said allows certain proceedings to go ahead without a defendant.
Audu Agunga (SAN), counsel for the second defendant, did not oppose the request. “It is most warranted and in the interest of justice,” he said. Jacobs responded that Agunga was in effect acting as counsel for the first defendant.
The charges
Suswam and his former Commissioner for Finance, Omodachi Okolobia, face 11 counts of money laundering over N3.1 billion. The EFCC says the money came from the sale of shares owned by the Benue State Government, sold through the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited. Prosecutors allege that between August 8 and October 30, 2014, in Abuja, the two used Elixir Securities Ltd and Elixir Investment Partners Limited to divert it.
The EFCC called nine witnesses. The defendants then argued they had no case to answer, and on July 23 Justice Lifu rejected that. “The defendants are hereby called upon to enter their various defences,” he ruled, finding the prosecution had made out a prima facie case.
Suswam governed Benue State from 2007 to 2015. He and Okolobia were first arraigned in November 2015, and re-arraigned on November 2, 2020, on an amended charge. That charge alleges Okolobia transacted N578 million in four tranches between December 2014 and January 2015, above the cash transaction limit under the money laundering law.
The case began before Justices Ahmed Mohammed and Okon Abang. It passed to Justice Lifu on Court of Appeal directives after Mohammed was elevated to the appellate bench in 2023. In March 2024 the defendants were arraigned again before Lifu and pleaded not guilty.
Sources
- Suswam's Absence Delays Adoption Of Final Addresses In Alleged N3.1bn Fraud Trial
- Suswam's absence stalls final addresses in N3.1bn fraud trial
