lai Mohammed former
Minister Information
lai Mohammed former
Minister Information
NBC N2.5bn Fraud: Kawu, Others ask Court to stop Lai’s
Appearance
The Chairman of Pinnacle Communications Limited, Lucky Omoluwa, has
asked a Federal High Court, Abuja, to stop the former Minister of
Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, from testifying in the
ongoing trial of an alleged misapplication of N2.5 billion Federal
Government Digital Switch-Over (DSO) programme.
Mohammed had been scheduled to appear as witness by the
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission
(ICPC), who is prosecuting the Director General of the National
Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, Omoluwa and Dipo
Onifade over an alleged abuse of office and money laundering.
He will be expected to tell the court his role leading to the
approval of N2.5 billion DSO seed grant to a private company,
Pinnacle Communications Limited, owned by Omoluwa with Onifade as
the Chief Operating Officer.
Counsel to Omoluwa and Onifade, Alex Iziyon (SAN), had
approached Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa, with a motion seeking
the court to stop ICPC from bringing Mohammed as a witness.
His prayers, which were supported by Kawu’s counsel, Adetayo
Adeyomo, also sought to stop the court from admitting a written
statement of the former Minister filed by ICPC as evidence.
Justice Ogunbanjo-Giwa adjourned the matter to Thursday, 4th
July, 2019 for continuation of trial as well as ruling on a pending
bail application for the release of the passports of Omoluwa and
Onifade.
ICPC had filed an amended 11-count charge against Kawu, Omoluwa and
Onifade, saying that the NBC Director General misled the former
Minister into approving government funds to a private company to
carry out the DSO project.
Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, mni
Spokesperson for the Commission