- Court adjourned Ahmed Idris’ trial within trial until October.
- Defence witness testified about events at EFCC headquarters.
- Case concerns alleged diversion of ₦109.5 billion public funds.
Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Wednesday adjourned the trial within trial in the alleged ₦109.5 billion fraud case involving former Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, until October 13, 2026, for the adoption of final written addresses.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Ahmed Idris is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside Geoffrey Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Kudu Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited on a 14 count charge bordering on alleged stealing and fraudulent diversion of public funds amounting to ₦109.5 billion.
The trial within trial was ordered by the court on November 22, 2022, following an application by counsel to the first defendant, Chris Uche (SAN), who argued that statements allegedly made by Idris to the EFCC were obtained through deception and inducement.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, Uche informed the court that the matter was scheduled for the continuation of the trial within trial and announced that the defence was ready to present a witness.
The defence subsequently called Hajiya Safiya Idris to testify.
While being led in evidence by Uche, the witness identified herself as Safiya Idris, a resident of Efab Estate, Guzape, Abuja. She told the court that she had maintained a long standing family relationship with Ahmed Idris and regarded him “like a father.”
Recounting events that occurred on June 6, 2022, Safiya said she visited the EFCC headquarters in Abuja to see Idris but was initially informed that he was not being held in the detention facility.
“I was told he wasn’t in the cell but in the main building. I went there to see if I would be able to see him but I wasn’t allowed. We waited for a long time before I was eventually allowed to enter the office that he was in,” she told the court.
According to her, after gaining access to the office, two EFCC officers identified as Hayatu and Mahmud requested that she sign as a witness to a statement being written by the defendant.
When shown the statement in court, she confirmed that both the handwriting and signature on the document were hers.
Explaining why she wrote that the statement was taken in her presence, Safiya told the court that she had been assured that Idris would be released.
Justice Halilu subsequently adjourned the matter until October 13, 2026, for the adoption of final written addresses in the trial within trial.
