The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned proceedings until June 26 to re-arraign the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Almond Projects Limited, Olugbenga Obadina.
The case, scheduled for hearing before Justice James Omotosho, was delayed as the amended charge could not be located in the court’s records.
Obadina is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for his alleged involvement in the misappropriation of ₦33.2 billion, allocated for arms procurement by a former National Security Adviser, retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki.
The businessman and his company were last re-arraigned on January 13, 2024, on an eight-count charge of money laundering totalling ₦2.17 billion. Both defendants pleaded not guilty, and Justice Omotosho ordered Obadina’s remand at Kuje Correctional Centre pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions.
Dasuki, who served as NSA during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, is accused of criminally diverting $2.1 billion earmarked to combat the Boko Haram insurgency in northeast Nigeria.
The EFCC, in case number FHC/ABJ/CR/142/2016, charged Obadina and Almond Projects Limited as the 1st and 2nd defendants for their alleged connection to the misappropriated funds.
One of the charges accused the defendants of, on April 3, 2014, receiving ₦648 million into the Zenith Bank account of Almond Projects Limited (Account No: 1010921116) from the Office of the National Security Adviser’s account with the Central Bank of Nigeria. The payment was allegedly made without any contract award.
The funds are believed to constitute proceeds of unlawful activities by Colonel Dasuki (rtd), an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended in 2012) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
The case was previously heard by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, who adjourned it for the adoption of final written addresses on July 4, 2024. However, Justice Dimgba’s elevation to the Court of Appeal necessitated its reassignment.
During Monday’s proceedings, the prosecution counsel, Ibrahim Buba, informed the court of an amended charge filed on May 2 and served on the defendants. However, Justice Omotosho was unable to locate the amended charge in the court’s records.
“I do not have that charge before this court, and I have checked our ledger without finding it,” the judge said.
He speculated that the charge might have been mistakenly filed in another court by the anti-graft agency’s legal team.
Buba acknowledged the possibility of a mix-up, apologising for the error. Defence counsel Adeola Adedipe (SAN) also apologised on behalf of the prosecution.
Justice Omotosho subsequently adjourned the matter to June 26 for the re-arraignment of the defendants.
