Alleged money laundering: Court adjourns case against retired Air Commodore until Dec. 7 due to ill health

The Federal High Court on Monday adjourned until Dec.7, the trial of a member of the Presidential Committee on Procurement of Arms and Equipment in the Armed Forces, Air Commodore Umar Mohammed (Rtd), due to ill health.

The EFCC arraigned Mohammed on an amended five-count charge bordering on money laundering, illegal possession of firearms and possession of official documents without lawful authority in 2016.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, fixed the date after Mohammed’s counsel, Hassan Liman, SAN, told the court that his client had a surgery and couldn’t sit down now.

Earlier, EFCC lead prosecution lawyer, Daniel Bwala, told the court that although he was ready for trial, Mohammed absent.

Bwala added that the defence served him with a letter, claiming the first defendant (Mohammed) was ill.

“On the last date, the court gave us four days to open and close our case. The first defendant’s lawyer has brought a letter from the hospital that the first defendant was sick.

“The case has been in the court for about four years, but trial has not commenced,” Bwala said.

When asked why his client was not in court, Mohammed’s lawyer, Liman, said the first defendant had surgery “and cannot even sit down now.”

Liman prayed the court for a month’s adjournment, hoping that his client would, by then, be strong enough to stand trial.

Bwala did not object to Liman’s application for adjournment, following which Justice Ekwo adjourned till Dec. 7 for the prosecution to commence trial.