Former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, and his ex-Commissioner for Finance, Omadachi Okolobia, are set to know the next direction of their N3.1 billion fraud trial as the Federal High Court fixes July 16, 2026, for final written addresses.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Wednesday adjourned the matter for the adoption of final written addresses, signalling a possible conclusion to the 11-year-old legal proceedings.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Suswam and Okolobia on an amended 11-count charge bordering on alleged theft, criminal breach of trust, illegal award of contracts, and money laundering.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants were involved in the diversion of N3.1 billion said to be proceeds from the sale of Benue State Government shares in Benue Cement Company.
According to the EFCC, the alleged transactions were carried out through Elixir Securities Ltd and Elixir Investment Partners Limited.
The prosecution called nine witnesses during the trial, while Suswam later testified as the sole witness for the defence.
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The case was first filed in 2015, when Suswam and Okolobia were arraigned before Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The matter later passed through different judges before being reassigned to Justice Lifu after Justice Mohammed’s elevation to the Court of Appeal.
After the prosecution closed its case, the defendants filed a no-case submission, arguing that the evidence presented did not require them to defend themselves.
However, Justice Lifu dismissed the application on July 23, 2025, ruling that the EFCC had established sufficient grounds for the defendants to open their defence.
The defence commenced on October 10, 2025, and the court has now fixed July 16, 2026, for the adoption of final written addresses before judgment proceedings continue.
