Alleged N3.1bn fraud: Court rules Suswam, Okolobia have a case to answer

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has held that former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, and his former Commissioner for Finance, Omodachi Okolobia, have a case to answer in the alleged N3.1bn fraud charge filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Peter Lifu, who dismissed their no-case-submission, said the EFCC had established a prima facie case against Senator Suswam and Okolobia that required their defence.

He accordingly ordered the defendants to open their defence and adjourned further trial to September 22 and 26, 2025.

In his ruling on the no-case submissions, Justice Lifu said after analysing the evidence of the nine prosecution witnesses and documents tendered by the prosecution, he was of the view that there was the need for the defendants to provide answers to the allegations against them.

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“The defendants need to throw some light on some of the allegations made against them in the interest of justice and fair hearing. It is, therefore, my view that the two defendants have a case to answer. I so hold.

“I hold that the prosecution has successfully established a prima facie case against them as there are some evidence before the court to proceed with the trial,” Justice Lifu ruled.

Suswam and Okolobia are standing trial on an 11-count amended charge bordering on the alleged diversion of N3.1bn, reportedly derived from the sale of shares belonging to Benue State Government.

The shares were managed by the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited and sold through Elixir Securities Limited and Elixir Investment Partners Limited.

The EFCC claimed that the N3.1bn formed part of the proceeds of the sale of shares owned by Benue State and its firm, Benue Investment and Property Company Limited, in some companies.

The EFCC had on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, closed its case against the defendants after presenting its ninth prosecution witness, Ape Sunday.