At the resumed trial on Monday, Justice Okon Abang informed the parties that the court was adjourning the trial to February 26 to enable the defendants to reply on point of law on their no-case submission.
The trial of Murtala Nyako, a former Governor of Adamawa State, has been stalled following the adjournment of the case at the instance of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
At the resumed trial on Monday, Justice Okon Abang informed the parties that the court was adjourning the trial to February 26 to enable the defendants to reply on point of law on their no-case submission.
Nyako had urged the court to strike out the alleged ₦29 billion money laundering charges filed against him and others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The anti-graft agency is prosecuting the former governor alongside his son, Abdul-Aziz Nyako; two companies – Sebore Farms and Extension Ltd and Pagado Fortunes Ltd. They are listed as first, second, sixth and seventh defendants.
Other defendants are Zulkifik Abba, Abubakar Aliyu, Blue Opal Ltd, Tower Assets Management Ltd and Crust Energy Ltd as third, fourth, fifth, eighth and ninth defendants respectively.
He was arraigned on 37 counts of criminal conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and money laundering.
Nyako and his co-defendants in the N29 billion money laundering charges, had asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss the charges instituted against them by the EFCC.
They stated this in their no-case submission which they filed after the prosecution closed its case with 21 witnesses.
Nyako and three other defendants in the case, through their lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), stated in the application that “no case has been made out by the prosecution warranting an answer from them.”
Nyako was governor between 2008 and 2014. He is married to another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Binta Nyako.