Second judge withdraws from NBA President’s N1.4bn case

Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court in Lagos on
Thursday withdrew from the trial of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
Presiden Paul Usoro (SAN), charged with N1.4billion fraud.

Usoro was first arraigned before Justice Muslim Hassan on a
10-count charge.

He pleaded not guilty.

Justice Hassan later withdrew from the case.

Others charged with Usoro are Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for
Finance, Nsikan Nkan; Accountant-General, Mfon Udomah;
Attorney-General, Uwemedimo Nwoko and Margaret Ukpe, said to be at
large.

Also named in the charge is Governor Emmanuel Udom, “currently
constitutionally immune from prosecution.”

Usoro was to be re-arraigned before Justice Obiozor, but the
judge recused himself for personal reasons.

“For personal reasons, I hereby disqualify myself from handling
the case.

“I hereby return this file to the Chief Judge for reassignment
to another judge,” Justice Obiozor ruled.

Prior to Usoro’s arraignment before Justice Hassan last December
18, his lead counsel Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), informed the
judge of a December 17 letter to the Chief Judge seeking the
transfer of the case to another judge for an undisclosed
reason.

Olanipekun said Usoro would want the case transferred to either
Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, or Abuja.

He said if the case would remain in Lagos, it should be
transferred to “any other honourable judge apart from my noble
Lord.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that
the defendants committed the offence on May 14, 2016.

The commission alleged that Usoro conspired with others to
commit the offence within the jurisdiction of the court.

He was alleged to have conspired to convert N1.4 billion,
property of Akwa Ibom State Government, which sum they reasonably
ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful
activity.

The prosecution said that the unlawful activity included
criminal breach of trust which contravened sections 15 (2), 15(3),
and 18 (A) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.