The trial of former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam and his ex-Commissioner of Finance, Omodachi Okolobia, before Justice Peter Lifu at the Federal High Court in Abuja was stalled on Monday, September 22, due to the defendants’ failure to commence their defence.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the duo on 11 amended charges for allegedly diverting N3.1 billion from the sale of Benue State shares, managed through Benue Investment and Property Company Limited via Elixir Securities Limited and Elixir Investment Partners Limited.
On July 23, 2025, Justice Lifu dismissed Suswam’s no-case submission, ordering him to open his defence. However, during Monday’s proceedings, Suswam’s counsel, J.B. Daudu (SAN), requested a three-week adjournment, citing the hospitalization of a defence lawyer, Chenelu Ogbozor, and a pending appeal against the no-case ruling.
Daudu urged the court to pause until the appeal’s resolution.EFCC counsel A.O. Atolagbe opposed the request, arguing that the court’s two-month recess provided ample time for preparation.
“This case has lingered for 10 years. The defence had over three months to prepare. We cannot stall proceedings pending an appeal unless the Court of Appeal issues a ruling,” Atolagbe said, urging the court to proceed.
Justice Lifu expressed frustration over the case’s decade-long delay, noting difficulties in locating the case file, which was found scattered at the court’s appeal registry.
“A case should not drag on for 10 years. We cannot continue like this,” he remarked, adjourning the matter to October 10, 2025, for Suswam to begin his defence.
The EFCC and prosecution stressed the need for swift progress to restore public confidence in the judicial process, as the case’s prolonged timeline continues to draw scrutiny.
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