ruled that a former governor of Gombe State, Senator Danjuma Goje, has a
case to answer on counts eight and nine of the 21-count charge preferred
against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.Goje, a serving Senator, is standing trial along with a former Executive
Chairman of the state’s Universal Basic Education Board, Aliyu El-Nafaty;
and S.M. Dokoro for an alleged N5 billion fraud. A fourth defendant, the
ex-governor’s cousin, Sabo Tumu, who is now late was removed from the
charge sheet.They are alleged to have been involved in alleged financial impropriety,
including the award of contracts for food supply to the state’s Government
House, during his tenure.
The EFCC had through its counsel, Wahab Shittu, closed its case against
them, on May 31, 2018 after calling 25 witnesses and tendering several
documents to prove its case.
However, rather than open its defence, Goje through his lawyers, filed a
“no-case” submission on September 14, 2018.
Counsel for the EFCC, Wahab Shittu, had objected to the application, which
was made by Paul Erokoro, SAN.
“We are making a no-case submission because all the charges against us
have not been proved by the prosecution,” Erokoro had said.
Shittu, however, countered his argument and urged the court to ask them to
open their defence, stressing that, “in view of documents and evidences
before the court, the defendants have cases to answer.”
At the last sitting on January 25, 2019 the trial judge had adjourned to
today, March 22, 2019 to rule on the “no-case” submission.
Ruling on the said application, Justice Quadri while discharging the
defendants on 19 of the 21 counts, held that the defendants had a case to
answer on counts eight and nine, and ruled that they should open their
defence on May 8, 2019. “The 1st and 3rd defendant who the prosecution has
made a prima facie case with respect to count 8 and 9 are called upon to
enter their defence”, the judge ruled.