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Tag: Steve Oronsaye

  • Maina has case to answer with ex-HoS Oronsaye, two others – EFCC

    Maina has case to answer with ex-HoS Oronsaye, two others – EFCC

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday directed that controversial civil servant Abdulrasheed Maina be fired.

    Maina, former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms Task Team was restored and made director after being on the run for an alleged N2b scam, among others.

    Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister Abubakar Malami directed the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to reinstate Maina, The Nation learnt.

    It was also learnt that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, did not make any input into Maina’s reinstatement. In fact, sources said, Mrs. Oyo-Ita advised against Maina’s  recall, but she was overruled.

    Instead of allowing Mrs. Oyo-Ita to determine Maina’s fate, some top officials of the Ministry of Interior were made members of a committee which recommended his reinstatement.

    The officials were members of the Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior.

    Also yesterday, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detectives stormed Maina’s Abuja home ahead of the legal battle for the interim forfeiture of the $2million house.

    The agency said Maina still had a case to answer with a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Steve Oronsaye and two others.

    The details of who authorised Maina’s return were contained in a letter of reinstatement sent to the wanted officer by the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC).

    Those in Maina’s camp allegedly released the letter to prove that the Federal Government followed “due process” in recalling him to duty.

    The September 18 letter was also sent to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation by the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC).

    Related: Maina: Senate seeks sack of Malami, Danbazau, others

    The letter, signed by Mustapha L. Sulaiman for the FCSC chairman, indicated that the AGF advised the FCSC that Maina should be reinstated.

    The letter said: “Kindly refer to the Attorney-General of the Federation/ Honourable Minister of Justice letter Ref. No. HAGF/FCSC/2017/ VOL. 1/3 dated 27th April 2017 requesting Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to give consequential effect to the judgment that voided the warrant of arrest issued against A.A. Maina which formed the basis for the query and his eventual dismissal.

    “Further to the aforementioned letter, the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) at its meeting held on 14th June, 2017 deliberated on the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF’s) letter and requested the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) vide letter FC.4029/82/VOL.III/160 of 21st June 2017 to advise the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior to consider the AGF’s letter, the Officer’s case and make appropriate recommendation to the Commission.

    Maina recall

    “The OHCSF accordingly advised the Ministry of Interior to consider the matter. The Ministry of Interior at its Senior Staff Committee (SSC)’s meeting held on 22nd  June, 2017 considered the disciplinary case against the Officer and the letter by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice seeking the reinstatement of the Officer as a Director (Administration), SGL. 17 in the Federal Civil Service.

    “The Ministry of Interior’s Senior Staff Committee (SSC) deliberated on the case and recommended that Mr. Maina be reinstated into the service as Deputy Director. SGL. 16. The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) vide letter Ref. No. HCSF/LU/ COR/ FCSC/749/III/ 135 dated 14th August 2017 forwarded the recommendations of the Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior to the FCSC for further necessary action.

    “The FCSC at its meeting held on Wednesday, 16th August, 2017 considered the letter from the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the recommendations of the Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior on the disciplinary case against Alhaji Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina, Deputy Director (Administration), Salary Grade Level 16.

    “The FCSC, thereafter, approved the reinstatement of the Officer into the Service with effect from 21st February, 2013(being the date he was earlier dismissed from Service).

    “The FCSC also approved for the Officer to sit for the next promotion examination to the Post of Director (Administration), SGL. 17.”

    Trending: Revealed: AGF Malami ordered Maina’s recall

     

    In the letter, which was sent also to Mrs Oyo-Ita, the FCSC only added a clause as follows: “You are kindly requested to deliver the attached original letter to the Officer, please.”

    Giving insights into how Maina was reinstated, some top government sources said the “deal” was executed by the AGF, Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) and the officials of the Ministry of Interior.

    One of the government officials said: “The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation insisted that the reinstatement of Maina was absurd and illegal. She did not play any role in the entire process which led to the recall of the dismissed officer.

    “In fact, she refused to add a sentence or a line to a memo routed through her office to the so-called Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior. It is not within the mandate of the SSC to determine a grievous disciplinary case involving Maina.”

    Another official said: “When some forces were determined to bring Maina back, the Head of the Civil Service took precautionary measures and warned that the process will fail.

    “Instead, what the FCSC did was to compel the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to forward the recommendations of the Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior to it for further necessary action.

    “All the documents are intact and they will be presented to President Muhammadu Buhari. I am sure more heads will roll. All the SSC members have no business being in office again.”

    As at press time, detectives from the EFCC have stormed the residence of Maina ahead of the legal proceeding for the interim forfeiture of the $2million house.

    “We have deployed our detectives to Maina’s posh $2million residence at 10 Amisi Musa Street, Jabi Lake Area to effect his arrest and mark the mansion afresh as still under investigation. We had marked the residence but he had the audacity to clean up the marks.

    “Although the suspect has gone underground, we will fish him out at all costs.”

    The agency stressed that Maina and Oronsaye had a case to answer before the Federal High Court Abuja on alleged N2billion Pension funds allegedly mismanaged for biometric contracts.

    The EFCC source added the case “Maina and three others tagged FHC/ABJ/ CR/97/ 2015 dated July 10, 2015 is still ongoing”. The others are Oronsaye, Osarenkhoe Afe and Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited.

    “The suspects are facing a 24-count charge bordering on procurement fraud and obtaining by false pretence. Neither Maina nor Oronsaye has been discharged.

    “Oronsaye and two others pleaded not guilty to the charge, Maina has been on the run.”

    Responding to a question, the source said: “Steve Oronsaye was only discharged by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on a separate N190 million corruption charges levelled against him. The alleged fraud was committed when Oronsaye was the chairman, Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force set up by former President Goodluck Jonathan

    “Following a no-case submission, the trial judge ruled that the prosecution failed to establish its case against him.”

  • Court admits Oronsaye’s co-defendant’s confessional statement

    Court admits Oronsaye’s co-defendant’s confessional statement

    After about 12 months of denial, a Federal High Court in Abuja Monday out a lie to claim by the Managing Director of Federick Hamilton Global Services Limited, Osarenkhoe Afe that he was compelled to make confessional statements to investigators with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Justice Gabriel Kolawole, in a ruling Monday on a trial-within-trial conducted from June 21, 2016, held among others that Afe voluntarily made the statements, and proceeded to admit them in evidence.

    Afe is being tried with a former Head of Service to the Federation (HOSF), Steve Oronsaye on an amended 35-count charge in which they are accused of “stealing and obtaining money by false pretence” about N2billion.

    Shortly after their arraignment last year, Afe, through his lawyer Oluwole Aladedoye, objected to the admission, in evidence, Afe’s the statements, arguing that they were obtained from his client by “oppression”, a development that necessitated the conduct of the trial-within-trial, which began on June 21, 2016.

    The statements are confessional ones made by Afe to the EFCC on February 24, 2011 and March 16, 2011 in the course of investigating five companies – Hamilton Global Services Limited; Cluster Logistic Limited; Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited – alleged to have been used to perpetrate the fraud.

    Prosecuting lawyer, Oluwaleke Atolagbe called three witnesses to prove that Afe made the statements to EFCC’s investigators voluntarily.

    The witnesses, who were operatives on the EFCC’s Pension Task Force, testified to the effect that Afe made the confessional statements, and that “he was not coerced” into making them.

    Ruling yesterday, Justice Kolawole said: “The second defendant (Afe) was in a good state of mind when he made the statements.”

    The judge said if indeed, he was coerced into making the statements as claimed, he never took any steps, like writing “a letter of protest” and asking “the court to order the EFCC to produce the statement he was coerced to write.

    “If in the course of proceedings, there are new developments, which put the statement in great doubt; this court has the power to expunge it, as it is easier to do that, and I don’t have power to remove evidence that has already been objected,” the judge said.

    Justice Kolawole proceeded to admit the statements as exhibits in the case

    Earlier, the judge granted a motion brought by Oronsaye’s lawyer, Barth Ogar, praying the court to release his client’s international passport to enable him travel abroad for medicals.

    In granting the motion, the judge ordered Ogar to, in the next 48 hours, file a personal undertaking that the defendant shall return his passport on or before September 30 for purposes of his further trial.

    Justice Kolawole adjourned to October 12, 2017 for the “continuation of judicial trial of the defendants”.

    The EFCC, on May 18, 2016 re-arraigned Oronsaye and Afe before Justice Kolawole on the amended 35-count charge. Oronsaye, Afe, his company and other firms – Fedrick Hamilton Global Services Limited, Cluster Logistic Limitd, Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited – are named as defendants in the charge dated November 2, 2015’

    Count one of the charges reads: “That you Stephen Oronsaye, Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina (now at large) Osarenkhoe Afe and Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited on or about 2nd July, 2010 in Abuja, collaborated in disguising genuine nature of the sum of N161,472,000 derived from an illegal act to wit: conducting procurement fraud by means of fraudulent and corrupt act on the contract extension of biometric enrolment purportedly awarded to Innovative Solutions Limited by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation without following due process and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14 (1) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.”

    Another count reads: “That you Stephen Oronsaye and Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina (now at large) between April and May 2010 in Abuja, collaborated in disguising genuine nature  an aggregate sum of N131,038,425 derived from an illegal act to wit; conducting procurement fraud by means of fraudulent and corrupt act on the contract of biometric enrolment purportedly awarded to Moshfad Enterprises by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation without following due process and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14 (1) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.”

    The case was first taken before Justice Kolawole on July 13, 2015, where a 25-count charge was filed against Oronsaye and others, to which along with his co-defendants they pleaded not guilty. Before trial could commence before Justice Kolawole, the court’s Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Auta reassigned the case file to another judge, Justice John Tsoho.

    On March 1, 2016 when proceedings were to commence before Justice Tsoho, the judge stunned all when he said: “It has been realized that the case came to me in error, and I’ve been instructed that it should be returned to my brother judge, Justice Kolawole, who started it. He should continue where he stopped. I wish you the best of luck.”

    When parties returned to his court, Justice Kolawole said: “the Chief Judge wanted to redistribute cases to new judges transferred to the Federal High Court, Abuja in order to decongest the court, but this case file of Oronsaye was taken in error to Justice Tsoho. This explanation becomes necessary so the public will not be wondering why such back and forth movement.”

     

  • Alleged N190m fraud: Court discharges Oronsaye

    Alleged N190m fraud: Court discharges Oronsaye

    An FCT High Court, Maitama, on Tuesday discharged Steve Oronsaye, former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, of the N190 million corruption charges leveled against him.

    Oronsaye was also the Chairman, Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force, set up by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    He was docked on a seven-count charge, bordering on breach of trust and diversion of N190 million meant for the committee he chaired.

    The judge, Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, in her ruling on the no-case submission filed by Oronsaye, held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against Oronsaye.

    “There was contradictory evidence by the prosecution witnesses on whether the defendant was still the head of service as at the time he chaired the committee.

    “The court seems to discredit the evidence, suffice it to say that there is no evidence linking the accused with the statutory element and ingredients of the offence with which he is charged.

    “The court of trial must as a matter of law discharge him because it has no business scanting for evidence that is nowhere to be found.

    “ I have looked through the case and I am unable to see any justifications for this case.

    “ The defendant is hereby discharged“ she held.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the prosecution closed its case on Nov.15 after calling six witnesses to testify.

    On Dec. 9, the defence filed no-case submission, on the ground that the prosecution had no case against the defendant.

    In his submission, the defence counsel Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), argued that there were omissions of essential elements in the charges against his client.

    He said on that account the charges were imperfect.

    Agabi said that the charge was initially 2- count, later amended to 7-count.
    He said that, that was a sign that something was wrong with the charge from the beginning.

    He said that the prosecution did not specify the amount that was entrusted to the defendant, nor the mandate of the committee the defendant chaired.

    Agabi also said that no evidence of personal use of the fund that the defendant was accused of misusing, but mere allegations.

    He said that no offence proven by prosecution to warrant the defendant to enter defence and urged the court to grant his no-case submission.

    Responding, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Offem Uket, told the court that the prosecution has proved its case, adding that the defendant should enter his defence.

    Uket said that it was not right to bring up the issue of imperfection of charges now, as it was against the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, (ACJA) 2015.

    He urged the court to dismiss the no- case submission.

     

  • Court rules on Oronsaye’s no-case submission May 9

    Court rules on Oronsaye’s no-case submission May 9

    FCT High Court, Maitama, will on May 9, rule on the no- case submission by Steve Oronsaye, former Head of Service of the Federation, facing N190 million corruption charges.

    Oronsaye was also the Chairman, Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force, set up by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    He was docked for breach of trust and diversion of N190 million meant for the committee he chaired.

    The judge, Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, had on March 1 adjourned the ruling until May 4; again on May 4, he adjourned the case until May 9 at the instance of the court.

    The prosecution called six witnesses to prove his case and also closed its case on Nov. 15.

    On Dec. 9, the defence filed no-case submission, saying that the prosecution does not have any case against the defendant.

    In his submission, the defence counsel Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), argued that there were omissions of essential elements in the charges against his client.

    He said on that account the charges were imperfect.

    Agabi said that the charge was initially 2- count, later amended to 7-count.
    He said that was a sign that something was wrong with the charge from the beginning.

    He said that the prosecution did not specify the amount that was entrusted to the defendant, nor the mandate of the committee the defendant chaired.

    Agabi also said that no evidence of personal use of the fund that the defendant was accused of misusing,but mere allegations.

    He said that no offence proven by prosecution to warrant the defendant to enter defence and therefore urged the court to grant his no-case submission.

    Responding, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Offem Uket, told the court that the prosecution has proved its case, adding that the defendant should enter his defence.

    Uket said that it was not right to bring up the issue of imperfection of charges now, as it is against the provisions in Sections 220 and 221 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act, (ACJA) 2015.
    He urged the court to dismiss the no- case submission

     

  • Oronsaye: Court adjourns no case submission hearing until Feb. 7

    Oronsaye: Court adjourns no case submission hearing until Feb. 7

    An Abuja high court sitting in Maitama on Friday adjourned a no case submission hearing filed by Steve Oronsaye, former head of service until Feb. 7, 2017.

    Oronsaye, who was the chairman,  Presidential Task Force Committee on Anti-Terrorism Financing, set up by former president Goodluck Jonathan.

    He was put on trial on the breach of trust and diversion of N190 million made available for the committee.

    At the resumed hearing on Friday, counsel to Oronsaye, Chief Kalu Agabi (SAN), sought the order of the court to file a no-case submission, saying the prosecution had not made any case against his client.

    The judge, Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, then granted the application and ordered that the motion is filed and also be served immediately to the prosecution.

    Goodluck then adjourned hearing in the no case submission until Feb. 7.

    At the last sitting, the prosecution closed his case after calling six witnesses to testify.

    The 6th and the last prosecution witness, Hamma-Adams Bello, an officer with the EFCC, told the court that the investigation was approved by former EFCC boss, Ibrahim Lamurde following the receipt of two petitions against the defendant.

    During cross-examination by Ade Okeaya-Inneh (SAN), counsel to Oronsaye, Bello told the court that the petitioners were anonymous and their addresses were not clearly stated.

    He, however, added that in spite of that, the petitions were investigated and found that Oronsaye was the sole signatory on two bank accounts of the Committee, one at Zenith Bank and the other at Access Bank .

  • Alleged N2b fraud: Prosecution faults Oronsaye’s co-accused claim

    Alleged N2b fraud: Prosecution faults Oronsaye’s co-accused claim

    The prosecution in the trial of former Head of Service of the Federation (HOSF), Steve Oronsaye and three others has faulted claim by his co-accused that his interrogators compelled him to admit the crime in a confessional statement.

    Oronsaye is being tried with Osarenkhoe Afe and four companies – Fedrick Hamilton Global Services Limited,  Cluster Logistic Limited,  Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment& Construction Company Limited.

    Oronsaye and Afe were alleged to have engaged in fraudulent transactions between 2010 and 2011, using the companies for offences ranging from procurement fraud, to money laundering and advance fee fraud.

    At the commencement of trial in the case on June 14, 2016 the prosecution sought to tender the statement  made by Afe, but was opposed by his lawyer, Oluwole Aladedoye, who argued that it was obtained from his client by force.

    Trial judge, Justice Gabriel  Kolawole upheld the objection and fixed June 21, 2016 for the commencement of a trial-within-trial to determine whether the statement was obtained by force as alleged by Afe.

    The trial-within-trial commenced Tuesday, with the first witness called by the prosecution – Miss Roukayya Ibrahim – an operative with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), telling the court that the statement written by Afe on February 24, 2011 was obtained from him without any duress or oppression.

    She said: “Before he was invited to come to the EFCC, investigations into his company, Frederick Hamilton Global Services Limited, and another one Innovative Solutions Limited, was already on for about a year, concerning payments both companies received from the office of the HOSF.

    The witness insisted that the statement was obtained from Afe without the use of force, and “it was based on our discovery during investigations, that he was invited to come and explain payments made to him.

    “After the oral interview I had with him, I wrote the cautionary words on our statement book and gave it to him to read, and told him that he was not under any threat or duress to write the statement.”

    Led in evidence by prosecution lawyer, Leke Atolagbe, Miss Ibrahim told the court that she explained to Afe that “whatever he chooses to say must be put into writing and that in event that he is charged to court, it may be used in evidence against him”.

    She said Afe afterwards, appended his signature under the cautionary note.

    She noted that at about 2.25pm, Afe then put down his statement, based on the questions asked him, and afterwards signed and dated it.

    The witness added: “It was a voluntary, free statement, I only asked him questions to clarify issues, and his response was based on documents I showed him.”

    Under cross-examination, Aladedoye told the witness that his was “bullied” into making the statement. He said at 7.15am, on February 24, 2011, two operatives of the EFCC had gone to Afe’s house in the company of a mobile policeman, and “parked his laptop, seized his mobile phones, and took him to the EFCC office at about 8am”, hours before Ibrahim encountered him.

    In response, the witness said it is part of operational duties for security purposes to have a mobile policemen accompany EFCC operatives on assignment.  She added: “I can categorically tell you that he was not bullied.”

    Earlier, Oronsaye’s lawyer, Ade Okeaya-Inneh (SAN) informed the court about an affidavit he filed, dated June 13, 2016 seeking for the release of Oronsaye’s international passport to enable him travel overseas for medical attention.

    Justice Kolawole adjourned to June 28 to for the prosecution to produce its other witnesses in the trial-within-trial.

    He ordered the release of Oronsaye’s international passport to his lawyers – Kanu Agabi (SAN), Okeaya-Inneh (SAN) and Joe Agbi (SAN) –  “who are to serve as sureties or guarantors, and he is at liberty to travel through the 2015/2016 Summer recess of the court, which begins after July 11, 2016and ends September 12, 2016 to attend to his health, and must 72 hours after his return, return his passport to his three counsels, who must submit same to the Deputy Chief Registrar Litigation of the Federal High Court.”

  • How Oronsaye, others diverted N14bn pension funds – Witness

    How Oronsaye, others diverted N14bn pension funds – Witness

    Trial opened on Tuesday in the case against the ex-Head of Service of the Federation (HOSF), Steve Oronsaye and others before the Federal High Court, Abuja, with a prosecution witness giving details of how the defendants allegedly diverted 14billion pensioners’ fund using phoney names and contracts.

    This is the second case involving Oronsaye, as he is also being tried before Justice Olasumbo Goodlcuk of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, Abuja, for allegedly exploiting his position as Chairman of the Presidential Committee of Financial Action Task Force (PCFATF), under President Goodluck Jonathan, to divert about N382.9m, using a secret account in Access Bank.

    Oronsaye, Osarenkhoe Afe and four firms are being tried before the Federal High Court on a 35-count charge of conducting procurement fraud.

    The firms are:  Fedrick Hamilton Global Services Limited (believed to be owned by Afe), Cluster Logistic Limited, Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited.

    Testifying in the case before the Federal High Court, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rouqayya Ibrahim, gave details of how Oronsaye and others allegedly diverted states funds using about 66 illegal bank accounts.

    Ibrahim said Oronsaye and others effected the alleged diversion through payments to “ghost” pensioners and disbursements of funds for non-existing contracts.

    The witness said the defendants also engaged in payments of non-existing allowances to fake members of staff and to the National Union of Pensioners and Association of Federal Civil Service Retirees.

    Ibrahim was led in evidence by prosecution lawyer, Adebisi Adeniyi.

    She added that aside a company – Innovative Solutions Uptrach Communications Limited – which executed “a semblance” of a contract awarded, other firms were paid for non-existing jobs.

     

  • EFCC re-arraigns Oronsaye

    EFCC re-arraigns Oronsaye

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday re-arraigned a former Head of Service, Steve Oronsaye, at Federal High Court, Abuja, on an amended 35- count charge bordering on N1.2 billion fraud.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other persons re-arraigned alongside the former HOS were Osarenkhoe Afe and Frederick Hamilton as well as Global Services Limited.

    In the amended charge, the EFCC increased the number of defendants from three to six, with additional three companies, allegedly used to siphon the funds.

    Oronsaye and the five other defendants were accused of fraud and corrupt act, thereby violating the Money Laundering and Prohibition Act of 2004.

    The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Olaleke Atolagbe, said one of the accomplices in the alleged crime, Abdulrasheed Maina, now at large, connived with the defendants to commit the crime.

    According to the charge, the alleged crime hinged on the biometric enrolment job purportedly awarded to Innovative Solutions Limited, without observing due process.

    Counsel to Oronsaye, Mr. Joe Agi (SAN), alongside the other defence counsel, made an oral application, praying the court to allow the defendants continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted them.

    The judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawale fixed June 9 for definite commencement of trial.

  • Judges’ absence stalls hearing in Dasuki, Oronsaye cases

    Judges’ absence stalls hearing in Dasuki, Oronsaye cases

    The absence of the judges involved in the trial of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki and ex-Head of Head of Service of the Federation, Steve Oronsaye stalled proceedings in both cases on Wednesday.

    The judges – Justices Gabriel Kolawole and Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja – were said to be attending the court’s annual judges’ conference outside Abuja.

    Court officials have however fixed next Monday (November 2) for further hearing in the case involving Dasuki, while that of Oronsaye was fixed for November 3.

    On October 26 when the Dasuki case last came up, Justice Ademola adjourned to Wednesday for ruling on the application by the prosecution for the trial to be conducted in secret.

    The judge also picked Wednesday for ruling on the defence’s application for the release of Dasuki’s travel documents, which he submitted to the court after he was granted bail on self recognition.

    Dasuki, who was earlier arraigned on a one-count charge of illegal arms possession, was re-arraigned on October 26 on an amended five-count charge of illegal arms possession and money laundering.

    Oronsaye, Osarenkhoe Afe and a limited liability company – Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited – were arraigned on a 24-count charge in July this year for alleged fraud and money laundering offences involving N1.2 billion.

    Justice Kolawole, before who they were arraigned, granted Oronsaye bail on self-recognition.

    On October 5, Justice Kolawole fixed October 28 for the commencement of trial.

     

  • Chief of Staff: FCT Minister, Oronsaye, Duke, Dokpesi listed

    Chief of Staff: FCT Minister, Oronsaye, Duke, Dokpesi listed

    No fewer than five candidates are being considered by the Presidency for Chief of Staff to the President, it was learnt yesterday.

    Chief Mike Oghiadomhe was forced out of the office by President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday.

    The candidates are the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed; a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Steve Oronsaye; DAAR Communications proprietor Chief Raymond Dokpesi; ex-Governor Donald Duke and the Principal Secretary to the President, Alhaji Hassan Tukur.

    The President is said to be assessing some recommended candidates.

    But while the President is yet to make up his mind, there has been celebration by workers at the Presidential Villa over Oghiado-mhe’s exit.

    Some people also took to the streets in his hometown, Fugar in Edo State, celebrating Oghiadomhe’s removal.

    He has failed to use the position to help the people and the town, they alleged.

    The jubilant Fugar citizens recalled with nostalgia the “development” brought to the town by the late Admiral Mike Akhigbe, another indigene who was Chief of General Staff in the Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar regime.

    It was learnt that Oghiadomhe remained indoors yesterday at his residence on Aso Drive in Maitama District, Abuja to receive visitors, including some Presidency officials.

    According to a source, the criteria for the new Chief of Staff will be competence, rich experience in bureaucracy, maturity, exposure, loyalty, tolerance of all, irrespective of leanings, being a team player and being apolitical”.

    Responding to a question, the source added: “The personalities of these candidates are being analysed. For instance, there are concerns that the FCT Minister may be unstable on the job following pressure on him to vie for the governorship of Bauchi State in 2015.

    It was also unclear last night if Dokpesi would be willing to leave his media empire for such an assignment. There is the likelihood of a partisan backlash on his media house. But having being a Chief of Staff to ex-PDP National Chairman Bamanga Tukur when he was the governor of the old Gongola State, “Dokpesi will be on a familiar terrain if he gets the job”.

    But President Jonathan’s “godfather” Chief Edwin Clark has kicked against Dokpesi’s consideration for the job.

    Accusing him of so many things, he vowed to abort any plan to pick the media mogul.

    Except for his closeness to ex-President Obasanjo, the former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Steve Oronsaye, appears to have fitted the bill having worked as a Permanent Secretary at the Villa for more than eight years, the source said.

    “Oronsaye’s recent interaction with the EFCC might have been a pre-emptive move by some powers that be who knew the thinking of the President,” he added.

    “Duke’s polished nature, age and innovative acumen seem to be assets for the job, but there are doubts if he can be apolitical”.

    Duke has been out of power for six years, since leaving office as governor of Cross River State.

    “Being a Principal Secretary to the President, Tukur is familiar with the schedule of his boss. His Achilles Heel is his inability to detach himself from politics, especially in Adamawa State, where he wants to call the shot as a local hero.

    “He is also said not to have the temperament to tolerate perceived political enemies of the President. He is so loyal to the President to a fault that he takes on battles against the President’s imaginary or known enemies.

    Another source said the criteria had been set out by a team of experts which the Presidency engaged in 2011 to evaluate the Office of the Chief of Staff.

    The source added: “The President is seeking a United States model in managing the Office of the Chief of Staff. The next occupant will be heard less as the case with Gen. Mohammed Abdullahi, who was the Chief of Staff to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    “I think we lost the track since Gen. Abdullahi left office in 2007. The former Chief of Staff conducted his activities in such a professional manner that he earned the confidence of his principal, governors across party lines and even the Organised Private Sector. He was also not involved in politics.”