Mohammed Abacha Fails To Show For His Trial

 
Mohammed Abacha


Mohammed Abacha, son of Nigeria's late former military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha on Tuesday failed to show up for his trial on an amended nine counts charge of stolen property involving the sum of N444.63 billion made up in foreign currencies and travelers cheques.

The scion of the Abacha family was to be arraigned before an Abuja High Court presided by Justice Mamman Kolo for allegedly receiving stolen property said to belong to the federal government which his late father stole from the national treasury while he was at the helm of affairs in the country.

His absence however stalled proceedings as his lawyer,  Dr Reuben Atabo, told the court that his client was recuperating from a heart related ailment following his doctor's advice that he take a two weeks bed rest.

The federal government had alleged that Mohammed had unlawfully received the stolen properties between 1995 and 1998.

"My lord, i wish to inform this court that about four days ago, the accused took ill and he was rushed to Hospital. His absence in court today is neither deliberate nor an attempt to run away from his trial. He was diagnose to have Blood Pressure issues and severe chest pain and his  doctors prescribed some drugs for him and recommended two weeks bed rest”  the lawyer told the court.

He also tendered a medical report in support of his submission and sought for an adjournment to enable Mr. Abacha recuperate and attend to his trial.

The prosecutor, Mr. daniel Enwelum  reluctantly conceded to the application for adjournment noting that since it was a medical issue, it is better to allow the accused person to recuperate enough to stand his trial.

The court thereafter adjourned the matter to 18th  June for his arraignment.

The present attempt to try Mr. Abacha over the alleged criminal acts followed his failure to obtain reprieve from trial after his efforts to thwart the trial which went up to the nation's apex court, the Supreme Court, failed. He had sought to hide behind the immunity enjoyed by his father while he ran rough shod on the nation. Both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court denied him and ordered him to go and face his trial at the Abuja High Court.

In the amended nine counts charge which was a reduction from the earlier 121 counts charge, Mohammed is accused of “dishonestly receiving stolen property” and “voluntarily assisted in concealing money.” The present charge also excluded one Atiku Baudu who was co charged with Mr. Abacha in that earlier charge, leaving Mr. Abacha alone to face trial.

According to the amended charge marked CR.21-24/2008, the stolen money allegedly received by Mohammed, and which he was accused of concealing include 141,100,000 pound sterling and 384,353,000 USD made up of cash and travellers cheques.

The charge dated February 24, 2014 was filed by Mr. Daniel Enwelum, who is a private prosecutor prosecuting the case on behalf of the federal government upon a fiat dated February 18, 2014 issued to him by the Attorney general of the federation.

In count one, Mohammed was alleged to have between August and December 1995 at Abuja, dishonestly receiving $36,480,000.00 made up of cash and travellers cheques property of the federal government believed to have been stolen while count two alleged that Mohammed voluntarily assisted in concealing $57,960,000.00 believed to have been stolen from the federal government.

In count three, he was also alleged to have dishonestly received another 26,913,500.00 which is also believed to have been stolen from the federal government while the fourth count alleged that Mohammed, within the same period, voluntarily assisted in concealing $26,913,500.00 also believed to have stolen from government coffers. 

Similarly, count five alleged that sometime in June 1997 at Abuja, that Mohammed also dishonestly received $10,000,000.00 believed to have been stolen from the federal government.

Counts six and seven relates to an alleged crime of dishonestly receiving and voluntarily assisting in concealing the sum of $87,000,000 and 41,143,000 pounds sterlings between February and December 1997.

In count eight, Mohammed was accused of dishonestly receiving, between January and August 1998, the sum of $167,000,000 and 99,957,000 pound sterling, believed to have been stolen from the federal government while count nine accused him of voluntarily assisting in concealing the amounts mention in count eight.

The alleged offences are said to be punishable under sections 317 and 319 of the Penal Code.


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