A former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, has indicated his intention to file a “no case submission” in his ongoing trial by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) before an Abuja High Court.
Ogbulafor, who was also a Minister of Special Duties is being prosecuted by the ICPC, along with Emeka Ebilah and Jude Nwokoro on a 17- count charge of conspiracy and award of fictitious contracts to the tune of N107 million. According to the prosecuting counsel the offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000.
The 17-count charge, dated June 17, 2010 reads in part (amended): “That you Vincent Ogbulafor (M) and Emeka Ebilah (M) in the month of March 2001, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court, being public officers, to wit; Minister In Charge of Special Duties and Secretary/Member of the National Economic Intelligence Council (NEIC) respectively, did use your positions to confer corrupt advantage upon yourselves the sum of N82, 631, 03. 41 from the Federal Government of Nigeria in the name of a company HENCHRIKO NIG. LTD as payment for non-existence contract purportedly executed for the Federal Government… and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000.”
Meanwhile, counsel for Ogbulafor, J.K Gadzama SAN, told the trial judge, Justice Ishaq Bello, that his client would file a no case submission against the submission of the prosecution. The prosecuting counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), had hardly concluded his case, when Gadzama informed the court that, “the first accused person will file a no case submission before the next adjourned date.” However, Justice Bello adjourned the criminal case to Febuary 28 for adoption of arguments in respect of the no case submission.
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