▪︎ *Oronsaye closes defense*
By Yemi Oyeyemi, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday in Abuja abruptly discontinued the cross examination of former Head of Service of the Federation, Mr Stephen Oronsaye in the alleged N2B fraud charges brought against him by the Federal Government.
Although the cross examination was slated to be conducted to extract facts and ingredients to establish the alleged fraud, EFCC however made a dramatic u-turn at the Federal High Court with an announcement that it would no longer continue to cross examine the defendant.
At Friday’s proceedings, Oronsaye was called into the dock for the cross examination but Oluwaleke Atolagbe who stood for the anti-graft agency and billed to conduct the cross examination told Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo that he would not continue.
The counsel did not give reason for discontinuation of the cross examination.
However, answering a question from his counsel, the former Head of Service told the court that money in the Presidency’s Contingency Account is not budgetted for.
Oronsaye who is the sole defense witness subsequently announced closure of his defense in the alleged fraud charges.
The former Head of Service of the Federation had on Thursday faulted the mode adopted by EFCC in the investigation of the alleged malpractices brought agaist him in relation to Federal pensions.
Oronsaye who was cross examined by EFCC lawyer, Oluwaleke Atolagbe had claimed that EFCC came into some wrong conclusions in the ways and manners the allegations against him were investigated.
Specifically, he explained that EFCC chose to pick only payment vouchers rather whole files in the contract award, hence the anti-graft agency could not arrive at just conclusions.
He claimed that award of contracts and running of government was a process involving files moving from one place to another adding that EFCC ought to have worked on entire files rather than picking only payment vouchers to conduct investigation on.
Meanwhile, Justice Ekwo has fixed October 20 for continuation of trial.
Oronsaye was arraigned alongside the Managing Director of Fedrick Hamilton Global Services Limited, Mr. Osarenkhoe Afe.
Equally charged before the court by the EFCC included three companies- Cluster Logistic Limited; Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited.
It was alleged that the defendants had between 2010 and 2011, used the firms and diverted public funds through procurement fraud.