A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed May 29, 2026, for the adoption of final written addresses in the N3.1 billion money laundering case instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against former Benue State Governor, Senator Gabriel Suswam, and his former Commissioner for Finance, Omadachi Oklobia.

Justice Peter Lifu fixed the date after parties in the matter concluded the presentation of their cases.

The EFCC is prosecuting Suswam and Oklobia over alleged diversion of N3.1 billion realised from the sale of Benue State Government shares in Dangote Cement Plc, held through the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC) and sold via Elixir Securities Limited and Elixir Investment Partners Limited.

Suswam, who governed Benue State between 2007 and 2015, alongside Oklobia, was first arraigned in November 2015 before Justice Ahmed Mohammed on allegations bordering on the diversion of funds belonging to the state government.

The defendants were subsequently re-arraigned on November 2, 2020, following amendments to the charge.

In the amended charge, the anti-graft agency alleged that Oklobia carried out cash transactions amounting to N578 million in four tranches between December 2014 and January 2015, in excess of the threshold allowed under the Money Laundering Act.

The case has experienced several delays and reassignments over the years.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed had initially withdrawn from the matter in 2016 following reports alleging that he had been compromised to give Suswam a “soft landing.”

However, after interventions by parties in the case through the then Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta (retd.), he resumed hearing the matter.

The judge later withdrew again in 2019 after another publication allegedly questioned his impartiality, leading to the reassignment of the case to Justice Okon Abang.

Justice Abang commenced hearing and took evidence from some witnesses before the Court of Appeal directed that the case file be returned to Justice Mohammed following an appeal filed by Suswam challenging the withdrawal.

Following Justice Mohammed’s elevation to the Court of Appeal in 2023, the case was reassigned to Justice Lifu.

The trial commenced afresh before Justice Lifu on March 21, 2024, on an amended 11-count charge filed by the EFCC.

To prove its case, the EFCC called nine witnesses, including officials of the Benue State Ministry of Finance, EFCC investigators, a portfolio manager and a bureau de change operator.

One of the prosecution witnesses, Abubakar Umar, a bureau de change operator and Chief Executive Officer of Fanffash Resources, told the court that he converted N3.1 billion allegedly transferred to him in tranches into dollars and delivered the equivalent of $15.8 million in cash to Suswam at his Maitama residence in Abuja in 2014.

Umar testified that the funds were transferred through a female proxy and converted at an exchange rate of N197 to a dollar.

Another witness, Mustapha Yusuf Abubakar, an EFCC investigator, tendered documents relating to the appointment of Elixir Securities Limited and Elixir Investment Partners Limited as stockbrokers by BIPC.

During cross-examination, the witness stated that Oklobia allegedly received N350 million in two tranches and handed the money to a former Chief Security Officer to the governor identified as “Manga” at the Benue State Government House in Makurdi.

After the prosecution closed its case, counsel to the defendants informed the court of their intention to file a no-case submission.

However, Suswam later opened his defence and denied allegations that he received money from Abubakar Umar or instructed anyone to convert funds on his behalf.

The former governor told the court that he neither misappropriated public funds nor conspired with anyone to commit any offence during his tenure in office.

He urged the court to discharge and acquit him, maintaining that his years in public service were without blemish.