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Amosu’s N22.8bn fraud charge: Court declines visit to crime scene

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday declined to visit the scene of alleged crime in the trial of a former Chief of Air Staff , Adesola Amosu , over a N 22 . 8bn fraud.
Amosu is charged alongside two other officers of the Air Force : AVM Jacob Adigun and Air Commodore Gbadebo Olugbenga .
Also charged are some companies : Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd. , Mcallan Oil and Gas Ltd. , Hebron Housing and Properties Company Ltd. , Trapezites BDC, and Fonds and Pricey Ltd., being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission .
They were arraigned before Justice Mohammed Idris on June 26 , 2016 , and had pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy , stealing and money laundering.
Idirs had granted them bail in the sum of N500m each, with two sureties each in like sum .
Before the court adjourned on Wednesday , EFCC’s lawyer , Mr . Rotimi Oyedepo , had made an oral application urging the court to visit the “locus in quo ’’( scene of crime ) for the purpose of admitting in evidence various immovable properties allegedly acquired by the accused .
“ The defence counsel, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN ) had opposed the application, arguing that a court ’s visit to a “ locus is not at large . ”
According to him , any visit must be specific , direct and linked to evidences already given in the course of proceedings .
He urged the court to refuse the application.
Ruling on the application on Thursday , Justice Mohammed Idris held that such a visit at this stage of the proceedings was “ premature . ”
“ I find that the circumstances surrounding the application for a locus in quo is immaterial at this stage of the proceedings ; a visit to the locus at this stage is premature .
“ I hereby refuse the application to conduct such a visit at this stage,’’ he said .

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