Abuja – Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday resumed the trial of Dasuki’s aide, Col. Nicholas Ashinze, after the false publication by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was retracted.

Former national security adviser of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Sambo Dasuki

Ashinze is standing trial with an Austrian, Wolfgang Reinl; Edidiong Idiong and Sagir Mohammed, on a 13-count charge of money laundering.

Other defendants in the case are five companies – Geonel Integrated Services Limited, Unity Continental Nigeria Limited, Helpline Organisation, Vibrant Resource Limited and Sologic Integrated Services Limited.

The judge had on March 21, ordered the EFCC to retract an offensive press statement issued by one Wilson Uwujaren, Head of Media and Publicity in the EFCC, which was published in Vanguard Newspaper.

The statement which was published in Vanguard referred to Col. Ashinze as a retired officer and charged by EFCC for an offence of diversion and misappropriation of N36billion.

Kolawole also ordered that the Deputy Registrar, Litigation, of the court to liaise with the Deputy Sheriff to ensure that the March 21 order was served on the Editor-In-Chief or the appropriate person in Vanguard Newspaper.

He said the relevant officer of the newspaper must come before the court on May 4, to show where it (newspaper) got the March 8 publication on the N36.8 billion fraud charge against the defendants.

At the resumed hearing, the prosecuting counsel, Ofem Uket, informed the court that the said statement which was misreported had been retracted and published on This Day Newspaper, dated April 12.

The prosecution also told the court that he has in his possession a certified true copy of the retracted newspaper report and has given the defence counsel a copy of the report.
Ernest Nwoye, Afam Osigwe and Chukwudili Anozie, counsel to Reinl, Idiong and Mohammed (1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants) respectively, however objected to the admissibility of the retracted report.

In their objection, they stated that the EFCC did not follow the order of the court in retracting the statement, rather they apologised which was against the order of the court.
However, counsel to Mohammed, opposed the argument of his co-defence counsel on the admissibility of the retracted publication, stating that justice had already been done.

He, however, cited a paragraph on the retracted publication which read: “the error in figure was a mix-up in the body of the release as the headline reflected the correct information.

“The reference to Ashinze as retired is regretted. We have since discovered that he is a serving Colonel in the Nigerian Army”.

Counsel to Vanguard I.F. Chude, who was present in court apologised on behalf of Vanguard Newspaper over the false report on Col. Ashinze.

Chude informed the court that the Editor-In- Chief of Vanguard was not aware of the court summon, but was able to come with the reporter who covered the court proceedings.

The judicial correspondent of Vanguard, Mr Ikechukwu Nnochiri apologised to court for the misleading report, stating that it was predicated on a press release from the EFCC.

Justice Kolawole in a short ruling said that he was satisfied with the retraction made by the EFCC in respect to the March 21 order.

The judge also held that court is satisfied with the explanation and apology by Mr Nnochiri and revoked the order of summon.

An EFCC investigator Hassan Seidu, who is a witness in the ongoing trial continued his testimony on how the defendants got N5.6billion from Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA).

Seidu said in the course of their investigation, the EFCC requested from Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) a certified true copy of registration of six companies which was sent and forwarded through the executive chairman of EFCC.

The defence team opposed the admissibility of the documents, after the prosecution prayed the court to admit the documents in evidence.

In their arguments, the defence said there is no evidence of payment of the prescribed fees as approved by the Minister of Trade.

The prosecution withdrew the documents and promised to do the needful to certify the documents.

The judge adjourned the matter until June 12, 20, July 5 and 11 for continuation of trial.(NAN)
PMY/OU