…Court Adjourns Till June 18, 19 as Defendants Plead Not Guilty
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday arraigned former Governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji, alongside his son and former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji, over allegations of conspiracy and misappropriation of public funds amounting to billions of Naira.
Also arraigned were former Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Philip Nto; former Director of Finance, Government House, Mr. Romanus Madu; and a contractor, King Obioma.
The case, filed under charge number HU/69c/2024 on October 8, 2024, was brought before Court 1 of the Abia State High Court. The EFCC’s legal team, led by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, and Rotimi Oyedopo, comprised 11 lawyers.
When the Chief Judge of Abia State, Justice Lilian Abai, read the 16-count charge, all defendants pleaded not guilty.
The charges include the alleged misappropriation of N22.5 billion allocated as security votes to Abia State from 2011 to 2015, N2 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s SME fund, N12 billion from the Paris Club Refund, and N13 billion from a loan facility granted by the then Diamond Bank Plc to the Abia State Government.
The trial judge granted bail to all defendants at N50 million each and adjourned the matter to June 18 and 19 for the EFCC to present its case.
Speaking to Vanguard, defense counsel Daniel Anya described the charges as “bogus” but commended the court for granting bail, stating that the defendants are “respected citizens and elder statesmen.”
He emphasized that under Nigerian law, defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty and insisted that the burden of proof lies with the EFCC to substantiate its allegations.
