A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned further proceedings in the trial of a former acting Accountant General of the Federation (AG-F), Chukwunyere Nnabuoku, till March 13 to enable him make another attempt at a plea bargain.
Nnabuoku is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an amended money laundering charge in which he is accused, among others, of diverting about N868.4 millon public funds.
The anti-graft agency alleged that Nnabuoku committed the offence while serving as a Director of Finance and Account in the Federal Ministry of Defence.
Nnabuoku was earlier arraigned with Felix Nweke, who worked under him in the Federal Ministry of Defence.
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On October 14, last year, both defendants opted for a plea bargain agreement with the EFCC, which did not sail through.
The prosecution subsequently amended the charge and listed Nnabuoku as the sole defendant, with Nkweke as one of its witnesses.
At the resumption of proceedings yesterday, Nnabuoku’s lawyer, Isidore Udenko, announced that he was no longer the lead defence counsel but named Norrison Quakers (SAN) as the new leader of the defence team.
Udenko told the court of his client’s intention to further take another shot at a plea bargain.
He prayed the court to grant an adjournment to enable the defendant explore the plea bargain option.
When the trial judge, Justice James Omotosho, asked him if he was still part of the defendant’s legal team, Udenko answered in the affirmative.
The prosecuting lawyer, Keele Iheanacho (SAN), expressed disappointment that he was made to bring his witnesses to court only for the defence to stall proceedings.
But the prosecution counsel later agree to Udenko’s request, prompting Justice Omotosho to warn that he would not condone any further adjournment in the case.
The judge said he would take a decision in the event of a repeat of such a development.
