An Ikeja Special Offences Court has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to provide an investigative report and e-statement of Keystone Bank with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the ongoing N20 billion fraud trial involving the former Managing Director of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Ahmed Kuru.
Justice Rahman Oshodi who made the order on Tuesday, further directed the EFCC to serve the court and the defence with the documents.
According to the court, the ruling would shape the next phase of the trial, ensuring that the defence had full access to the prosecution’s evidence ahead of further proceedings.
The judge adjourned the case until Oct 6 for further proceedings.
It would be recalled that at the last proceeding, the defence counsel, Mr Olasupo Shasore (SAN), had applied that the prosecution avail the defence with additional proof of evidence.
Kuru was arraigned on Feb.11 alongside Sigma Golf Nig. Ltd on an amended six-count charge bordering on conspiracy to steal, stealing, and transfer of property derived from stealing, with the aim of concealing the origin and evading the legal consequences.
While Kuru pleaded not guilty, Sigma Golf, represented by its chairman, Hamidu Modibbo, entered a guilty plea under a plea bargain deal.
Following the plea bargain, the court convicted the company and ordered the forfeiture of all its rights and interests in a unit of Keystone Bank shares to the Federal Government.
EFCC had accused the defendants and others still at large of committing the offences sometime in 2016, adding that the defendants conspired to steal by dishonestly converting N20 billion, the property of AMCON, through Heritage Bank Ltd., to the use of Sigma Golf for the acquisition of Keystone Bank Ltd.
The commission also accused Sigma Golf and others of transferring N10 billion derived directly from the stealing, with the aim of concealing the origin of the said sum and evading the legal consequences.
