Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday advised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to put its house in order to tender evidence in the trial of Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido.
The EFCC charged Lamido with 43 counts amended charge bordering on abuse of office and money laundering to the tune of N1.35 billion.
Lamido was arraigned alongside two of his sons: Aminu and Mustapha; Aminu Abubakar; Bamaina Holdings Limited; and Speeds International Limited for allegedly defrauding Jigawa State.
Justice Ojukwu said there were a lot of untidiness between the prosecution and its witness, Michael Wetkas, in the tendering of bank cheque transactions of the defendants.
She said: “You were to spend time with the witness to decide on what you want to do in court in order to have a seamless proceeding.”
Justice Ojukwu urged the prosecution to rehearse with its witness before coming to court.
She said: “How do you want the witness to tender the evidences because you are having frictions between your questions and his answer.
“Try to bring the defence along to see how he can align with you in probably presenting a schedule.
“And if not, it could be just between the prosecution and its witness.
“You have forwarded many cheques and not all tally.
“So I will admit the ones that tally with the amount earlier stated by the witness.”
Justice Ojukwu adjourned for continuation of trial until February 20.
Prosecution counsel, M.S. Abubakar, said he wanted the court to admit the bank cheques as evidence in the case.
Abubakar appreciated the indulgence and patience of the Judge as he battled presenting the “complex” transactions.
Counsel to the defendants, Joe Agi, said he was not opposing to the application to tender the cheques by the prosecution because they were evidence of transactions carried out by the defendants.
Earlier, the court had admitted some of the cheques presented to the court as evidence by the prosecution through their witness, but at some point, the agency was in contradiction with its witness.
Judge to EFCC on alleged N1.35b fraud against Lamido: Put your house in order
