Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it will appeal the judgement acquitting former Head of Service of the Federation, Stephen Oronsaye of the N2 billion fraud charge levelled against him.
On Monday, Gatekeepers News reported that Justice Inyang Ekwo discharged Oronsaye, holding that the anti-graft agency failed to provide enough evidence to warrant his conviction.
In response to this, the Commission through its Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren in a statement, opposed the judgement and said Ekwo “erred by overlooking the evidence of the 21 witnesses called by the prosecution”.
The EFCC added that Ekwo also overlooked the confessional statement of one of the defendants.
In 2015, Oronsaye was arraigned alongside Osarenkhoe Afe, managing director of Fedrick Hamilton Global Services Limited, on a 49-count charge.
The charges were, however, reduced to 22.
Three companies — Cluster Logistic Limited, Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited — were also joined in the charge preferred against Oronsaye by the EFCC.
The anti-graft agency alleged that between 2010 and 2011, the defendants had used the firms to divert public funds.
Adopting his final address at the court session on January 19, Oronsaye, through his counsel, Ade Okeanya-inneh, had asked the court to dismiss the charge against him.
