A Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, presided over by Justice Agatha Okeke has given Senator Albert Bassey, the nod to appeal its earlier ruling, rejecting the Senator’s no-case submission.
Bassey is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a six-count charge of alleged money laundering and for being in possession of six vehicles worth N204 million, provided by one Olajide Omokoro whose companies allegedly executed contracts for the Akwa Ibom State government.
The EFCC had through its counsel, M. S. Abubakar, closed its case after calling several witnesses and tendered documents which were admitted in evidence.
However, when the matter came up on March 8, 2021, the defendant rather than enter his defence, introduced two motions, one for a no-case submission and the other asking the court to quash the charges against him.
But Abubakar opposed both motions and asked the court to reject the applications.
Ruling on the applications on March 8, the Court upheld the argument of the prosecution and dismissed the two applications as “incompetent” and ordered the defendant to enter his defence.
The matter was thereafter adjourned till April 29 and 30, 2021.
Dissatisfied by the ruling, the defence initiated fresh process, seeking leave of the court to appeal the ruling of March 8.
When the matter came up on Monday March 22, 2021, the defence counsel, I. F. Ukpah prayed the court to grant their prayers. The Court granted the request as prayed.
Similarly, the same court adjourned the trial of Uzoma Udemba, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Communication Trends Limited to March 24, 2021, for ruling on a no-case-submission filed by the defendant and two others.
Udember is being prosecuted by the Uyo zonal office of the EFCC alongside his company, Communication Trends Limited and one Samuel Onyeanuforo for allegedly rebroadcasting the English Premier League matches without the permission of the MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, the rights owner.
The prosecution, through its counsel, Nwandu Ukoha closed its case on February 25, 2021, after calling three witnesses who tendered documents that were admitted in evidence.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
