By Onozure Dania

The trial of former Executive Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Engineer Tuoyo Omatsuli, over alleged N3.654 billion fraud, before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, was yesterday, adjourned till February 11.

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Omatsuli is being prosecuted before Justice Saliu Saidu, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alongside Don Parker Property Limited, Francis Momoh and Building Associates Limited.

At the resumed trial of the matter, yesterday, defendants’ counsel, Mr. Norison Quakers, SAN, told the court that though, he was ready for trial of the matter, but one of his clients, the third defendant, was yet to be released by the EFCC despite fulfilling the bail conditions imposed by the court.

Quakers told the court that the third defendant was granted bail due to ‘serious health challenge,’ and wondered why the anti-graft agency failed to release him.

EFCC reacts

In a swift reaction, EFCC counsel, Ekene Iheanacho and George Chia-Yakua, told the court that the commission was yet to get clearance from the Ministry which the defendant’s surety claimed to be working.

The EFCC lawyers said: “It’s true that the defendant had submitted all the documents for his bail, we have confirmed the title documents from the Bureau of Land.

“However, we just received a letter dated December 31, 2018, from the Ministry, where the surety claimed to be a staff, that our letter had been forwarded to the appropriate quarters for reply. This we have communicated to the senior counsel.”

Following the submission made by the EFCC lawyer, Justice Saidu counselled the defendant’s lawyer to work towards perfecting the bail terms and adjourned the matter till February 11, for commencement of trial.