Tribunal dismisses 15-year-old case against Abacha’s man, Useni

The Code of Conduct Tribunal on Tuesday struck out five counts of ‎ offences relating to non-declaration of assets and conflict of interest levelled against the then Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under the late Geni Sani Abacha’s military government, Lt.-Gen. Jeremiah Useni (retd.).
‎The Justice Danladi Umar‎-led tribunal struck out the case, which was filed in May 2,000, on the grounds of lack of diligent prosecution.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, prosecuting counsel, Mr. Peter Danladi, urged the tribunal to adjourn the case sine die (indefinitely) to afford his team time to brief the yet-to-be appointed Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice ‎on the status of the case.
But the defence lawyers – O. V Odjemu and Nathaniel Egbet – opposed the application for an indefinite adjournment.
Odjemu argued that instead of granting an indefinite adjournment, the tribunal should strike out the case.
In his ruling, Justice Danladi held that the prosecution’s request for an adjournment was “unacceptable.”
He noted that the case had in the past suffered several adjournments including an indefinite one ‎at the instance of the prosecution.
“It is hereby struck out. When the prosecution is ready to proceed, they can come back any time,” he ruled.
Useni was, in May 2,000, charged with, among other offences, failure to submit to the Code of Conduct Bureau, written declaration of his assets and liabilities and those of his spouse and children under 21 years old on assumption of office as the FCT minister on December 2, 1993.
‎He was also accused of failing to do so at the end of his tenure in offence.

Tribunal dismisses 15-year-old case against Abacha’s man, Useni Tribunal dismisses 15-year-old case against Abacha’s man, Useni Reviewed by Unknown on Tuesday, July 07, 2015 Rating: 5

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