The Federal Government has amended to 13 counts, the 90-count criminal charge brought against the National Commandant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, Dickson Akoh.
T.V.C. Kuku, a prosecuting counsel from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, told the court on Wednesday that the government was compelled to amend the charge due to new facts that had emerged.
Kuku said: “The matter was adjourned for hearing, but further investigations have revealed new facts which have necessitated the filing of amended charges.
“The amended charge has already been filed in court but has not been served on the defendant.”
Kuku prayed the court for an adjournment to enable the prosecution effect service of the amended charge on the defendant.
Counsel to Akoh, John Ochogwu, did not oppose the application for adjournment by the prosecution.
Meanwhile the prosecution also moved an application seeking an order of the court to seal the premises of the Peace Corps, located at No. 57 Iya Abubakar Crescent in Jabi.
The motion which was moved by a member of the prosecuting team, I.C. Idachaba asked the court to seal the building pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The motion was also seeking an order of the court for temporary forfeiture of the property on the grounds that the property was built from proceeds of fraud.
The defence counsel, Ochogwu opposed the motion and urged the court to dismiss it, adding that the motion was only an attempt to “legalise an illegality,” since the building had already been sealed by the police.
Ochogwu on his part, brought a motion asking for an order of the court to unseal the building which he said had been sealed since February 28.
Idachaba prayed the court to dismiss the motion on the grounds that it was an abuse of court process since the defendant had failed to show a valid order asking that the building be sealed.
The judge, Justice John Tsoho, adjourned the matter until January 15 to rule on both motions.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Akoh and the Incorporated Trustees of the Peace Corps are being prosecuted by the Federal Government for alleged conversion of monies directly derived from extortion, amounting to N1.4 billion.
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