Absence of Trial Judge Stalls Case of TETFUND Official

The trial of an Assistant Chief Programmer/Analyst with Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Mr. Ahmed Yusuf Babangida, who was charged to court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for allegedly collecting double emoluments from the Federal Government of Nigeria, was stalled due to absence of the trial judge.

Babangida was charged before Justice Valentine Ashi of High Court No.29 of the Federal Capital Territory, Apo Abuja on allegation of fraudulent and corrupt receipt of double emoluments simultaneously from two government establishments.

The accused person was alleged to have simultaneously collected the emoluments as a staff of TETFUND and the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN).

Earlier in the course of the trial, ICPC Counsel, Gogodaye West had led three witnesses to testify in court concerning the case and the matter was adjourned to 2nd February, 2017.

However, when the matter came up in court for continuation of hearing of the testimonies of prosecution witnesses on the adjourned date, the trial Judge, Justice Ashi was unable to sit due to an engagement elsewhere.

The matter was adjourned to 27th March, 2017 for continuation of hearing.