From: Lukman Olabiyi
After calling two witnesses to testified in the ongoing trial of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Dele Belgore, over alleged money laundering, the prosecution has decided to close its case against the accused.
Belgore is standing trial alongside a former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman.
The duo were first arraigned on five counts on February 8, 2017 before the Federal High Court, Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC )
The EFCC subsequently amended the charges on two occasions, leading to the re-arraignment of the defendant.
The latest amendment to the charges led to the re-arraignment of the defendants, on Tuesday, shortly after which the commission announced the closure of its case.
The prosecuting counsel for EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court that the anti-graft agency had decided to rest its case after calling two witnesses and tendering a number of exhibits.
Oyedepo said the anti-graft agency believed it had already established its allegations against Belgore and his co-defendant.
In response to the closure of the EFCC’s case, the defence counsel, Mr. Ebun Shofunde (SAN) and Olatunji Ayanlaja (SAN), hinted that they would be filing no-case submissions on behalf of their clients.
The trial judge, Justice Rilwan Aikawa, adjourned till January 16, 2018 to hear the defendants out.