The withdrawal of defence counsel,  Mahmood A. Magaji, SAN today ( March 20, 2014) stalled further hearing in the ongoing trial of Aliyu Bello, a former special assistant to the director of administration, Pension Account, office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and Abdullahi Omeiza, a sokoto-based school teacher, alongside their companies Fafama Estate Developers and Fafama Oil and Gas Limited.

The accused persons who were arraigned in May 2013, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before a Federal High  Court on a 5-count charge bordering on criminal conversion and obtaining over One Billion Naira (N1billion) from the pension account, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation by false pretence.
At the resumed hearing today, the court was presented with a letter from Magaji, SAN signalling his withdrawal from the case.
 
In the letter, the defence counsel informed the court that he will no longer participate in this case  on the grounds that the conduct of his clients runs counter to his professional calling and, also, for the respect he has for the court and entire judiciary.
Following the development, the accused persons pleaded with the court to give them time to sort out the issue of legal representation.
 
Prosecution counsel, Godwin Obla, SAN, said he was willing to concede the request for a short adjournment at the instance of the accused persons in line with the practice directive of the Federal High court which allows an accused to change counsel in the course of trial.
Justice Adeniyi Ademola adjourned the case to April 10 and 11, 2014 for further hearing.

Media & Publicity
20th March, 2014