The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, presented its ninth and final witness in the ongoing trial of former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, over an alleged N3.1 billion fraud.
Suswam is standing trial alongside his former Commissioner for Finance, Omodachi Okolobia, on an amended 11-count charge bordering on the alleged diversion of public funds. The charges relate to proceeds from the sale of Benue State government shares held by the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited.
At the resumed hearing before Justice Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, EFCC counsel, A.O. Atolagbe, informed the court that the Commission was closing its case with the testimony of Prosecution Witness Nine (PW9), Ape Sunday, an EFCC investigator.
The decision followed the inability of the tenth witness, Mrs. Shiedu Awade—a former cashier and executive officer at the Benue Investment and Property Company—to appear in court due to a serious illness. According to PW9, Awade is currently receiving treatment at the National Hospital, Abuja.
Following the prosecution’s final submission, defence counsels C.E. Ugbozor and Paul Erokoro, SAN, representing the first and second defendants respectively, notified the court of their intention to file a “no-case submission.” They requested 14 days to do so, while the prosecution requested 21 days to respond.
Justice Lifu adjourned the matter to June 24, 2025, for the adoption of the defence’s no-case submission.
