For Gabriel Suswam, former Governor of Benue state, the adage - it doesn't rain, it pours - may have come painfully true. Shortly after losing out in Benue's high stakes political intrigues, the suave former House of Reps member is billed to appear before an Abuja Federal High Court July 16 2026 to defend himself against criminal charges brought against him by the EFCC. More than four hundred of his former political appointees will not be in sympathy with their former boss that day. They were appointed by the then governor whose tenure ended in 2015 without his paying them their furniture or severance allowances. With tens dead and many others suffering infirmities associated with old age, the former aides (under the auspices of Governor's Aides Forum) are sill in Court pleading that the it prevail on the Benue State Government to meet its financial obligations to them. Suswam has been standing trial over an 11- count charge bordering on alleged theft, criminal breach of trust, illegal award of contracts and money laundering involving N3.1b which the EFCC insists are proceeds from the sale of the state's shares in Benue Cement Company, Gboko. The former governor is on trial with his erstwhile Finance Commissioner Omadachi Oklobia in the case which has been running for 11 years and is now in its final phase. The anti-graft agency alleges that the defendants diverted the money through Elixir Securities Limited and Elixir Investment Partners Limited and, in the course of the trial, called nine witnesses to support its case against the former governor and his co-defendant. Suswam, however, was the only witness who testified for the defence before both parties closed their respective cases. The case witnessed several twists and judicial reassignments since it was first instituted in November 2015. It first came before Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja but was later transferred to Justice Okon Abang before his elevation to the Court of Appeal. Following a decision of the Court of Appeal however, the case returned to Justice Mohammed, where the prosecution was on the verge of closing its case in December 2023. Justice Mohammed’s elevation to the Court of Appeal led to another reassignment of the case, this time to Justice Lifu, resulting in a fresh trial. With the closure of the prosecution's case, Suswam and Okolobia filed a no-case submission, arguing that the evidence presented was insufficient to require them to open their defence. Justice Lifu, however, dismissed the application on July 23, 2025 and held that the prosecution had established a prima facie case requiring both defendants to answer the allegations. Following the ruling, the defence opened its case on October 10, 2025, with Suswam taking the witness stand and the court adjourned the case to July 16, 2026 after both the prosecution and defence concluded the presentation of their cases. The court is expected to hear final written addresses that day before delivering judgment in the high-profile corruption trial that has spanned more than a decade.

Posted: 1month ago

Author: Editor in Chief

Current date: 14 August 2026