The courtroom drama surrounding former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, reached a turning point on the 14th of May, 2025, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, brought forward its ninth and final prosecution witness.
Suswam, alongside his former Finance Commissioner, Omodachi Okolobia, is facing trial on an amended 11-count charge centered on the alleged diversion of public funds.
At the heart of the case is the reported misappropriation of N3.1 billion money said to come from the sale of shares owned by Benue State through the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited.
During the proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja, EFCC counsel A.O. Atolagbe confirmed that the Commission was closing its case with Mr. Ape Sunday, an investigator with the agency, as the ninth witness (PW9).
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Atolagbe told the court that the Commission initially planned to call a tenth witness, Mrs. Shiedu Awade, a former cashier and executive officer of Benue Investment and Property Company Limited, but she was unable to testify due to ill health.
According to PW9, Mrs. Awade is currently hospitalized at the National Hospital, Abuja, and is too ill to appear in court.
With the prosecution closing its case, the defence seized the moment. Lawyers C.E. Ugbozor and Paul Erokoro, SAN, representing Suswam and Okolobia respectively, revealed plans to file a “no-case submission,” claiming that the EFCC had not presented enough evidence to warrant a defence.
They asked the court for 14 days to file their submissions. The EFCC requested 21 days to respond.
Justice Lifu scheduled the next hearing for the 24th of June, 2025, when written arguments from both sides on the no-case submission will be taken up.