Alleged Financial Fraud: Confusion rocks OBA’s camp over N204m EFCC case
As the build-up to the Governorship nomination primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Akwa Ibom State draws closer, tension and fear have gripped the campaign organization of Senator Bassey Albert, who is aspiring to be the candidate of the party.
An insider in his Campaign Organisation who confided in our reporter said the whole saga of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, case hanging on his neck has continued to cause the camp sleepless nights and Senator Albert is himself anxious about the eventual outcome of the case.
It will be recalled that Senator Bassey Akpan, who is popularly known as OBA, is under trial before Justice Agatha A. Okeke of the Federal High Court, Uyo, following a 6-count charge of Money Laundering preferred against him.
The particulars of the case filed by the EFCC is that Senator Bassey, as State Finance Commissioner between 2007 and 2014, took possession of six vehicles worth N204 Million, at the instance of one Olajide Omokore, whose companies had contracts with the Government of Chief Godswill Akpabio at the time.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had since closed its case, while OBA’s defense lawyers are grappling with the obvious bad case.
The case was put on temporary hold because of the 2022 Bar Week of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA Uyo Branch which was held from Saturday 26th March to Friday, 1st April 2022 which covered the date the case was billed for hearing.
The source who pleaded anonymity equally disclosed that the defense counsel recently called two witnesses, Kubiat Etang and Kennedy Ekong, who were cross examined by prosecuting counsel, Attah Ocholi, but their performance left much to be desired and the camp fears their appearance worsened OBA’s case as both witnesses claimed under cross-examination, that they were members of the defendant’s campaign team and that they each received buses for campaign purposes.
However, they were unable to disclose the particulars of the vehicles and also did not state whether they took possession of the vehicles.
Their accounts before the judge under cross-examination were made worse because when asked whether they knew the nature of the transaction between the defendant and one Jide Omokore, the witnesses said ‘no’. They also said they were not privy to the procurement of the vehicles.
The offense contravenes Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and is punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.
Pundits believe Senator Albert is desperate to be Governor to as to escape justice with the garb of immunity from any form of prosecution conferred on the occupant of that office. The case is set to resume in the coming week.
