Sule Lamido, EFCC clash over subpoenaed witness in N1.35bn fraud trial

A dispute between former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) stalled proceedings in his N1.35 billion money laundering trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The core of the disagreement centered on a witness subpoenaed by Lamido's defense team. The EFCC is prosecuting Lamido, his two sons, and associated companies for alleged involvement in laundering 1.35 billion naira. After the prosecution closed its case with 17 witnesses, the defense filed a no-case submission, which was subsequently dismissed. The defense then sought to call the EFCC chairman or another commission official as a witness. When the case resumed, the EFCC presented Kayode Oyetunde, an investigator, to testify. However, Lamido's lawyer, Joe Agi, requested an adjournment to confer with the subpoenaed witness. The EFCC's lawyer, Chile Okoroma, opposed the adjournment, suggesting the court stand down to allow the defense access to the witness and the documents already submitted. Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu refused to adjourn, threatening to strike out the subpoena if the request was granted. She did, however, stand down the case for an hour. Upon resumption, the witness admitted he was not part of the original investigative team and was only tasked with retrieving requested documents. Agi argued that the witness could not provide relevant testimony, prompting Okoroma to counter that the EFCC is a corporate entity and any representative could speak, adding that subpoenas are not sacrosanct. The judge ultimately allowed the defense to interface with the witness.

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all documents produced by the subpoenaed witness had already been frontloaded before the court as evidence.