Witness absence stalls trial of ex FCMB manager

FCMB

The absence of a prosecution witness on Thursday stalled the trial before a Federal High Court Lagos, of a former FCMB branch manager, Rosemary Usifo, charged with N30 million fraud.

The accused was arraigned by the Special Fraud Unit of the police on a charge of fraud.

She had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of N10 million, with two sureties in like sum, one of who must be a blood relation with landed properties.

The accused was, however, remanded at the Kirikiri prisons as she was unable to perfect her bail conditions.
On Thursday, the trial of the accused could not go on due to the absence of a prosecution witness.

When the case was called, the prosecutor, Mr Effiong Asuquo, apologized to the court that he could not proceed with trial as his witness was absent.

He said that he had called the witness to remind him of the day’s proceedings, and to ensure his attendance, but was informed by the witness that he was bed-ridden.

Asuquo therefore, prayed the court for an adjournment to enable his witness attend court to give evidence.
The trial judge, Justice Saliu Saidu, consequently, adjourned the case to Dec. 8 for trial.
In the charge, the accused was said to have committed the offence in 2011.

The prosecutor alleged that the accused defrauded a bank customer, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr Archibong Nkanga, of N30 million.

The money was alleged to have been obtained from the fixed deposit account of the customer.
The offence is said to have contravened the provisions of Sections 1(2) (a), (c), and 3 (1) (2) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap. M17, Laws of the Federation, 2004.