The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) permission to amend the charges against former Power Minister, Dr. Olu Agunloye.
This decision was made on January 23, 2025, during a ruling on the EFCC’s request to modify the charges originally filed on June 25, 2024.
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, after reviewing the motion for amendment, authorized the change, and the case was adjourned to February 3, 2025, for Agunloye’s re-arraignment on the new charges.
Agunloye is facing a seven-count charge in a case labeled FCT/HC/CR/617/2023, which involves allegations of forgery, disobedience to a presidential order, and corruption related to the Mambilla power plant project in Taraba State.
The EFCC claims that on May 22, 2003, Agunloye awarded the contract for the “Construction of 3,960MW Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station” to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited without the necessary budget provision, approval, or funding.
The EFCC further alleges that suspicious payments from Sunrise Power were traced to accounts associated with Agunloye, who served under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Agunloye has pleaded not guilty to the charges. His defense attorney, Adeola Adedipe (SAN), argued that the proposed amendments to the charges overstepped the legal bounds and contradicted a declaratory judgment made by the Federal High Court regarding one of the individuals named in the case, Leno Adesanya.
The EFCC’s legal team, led by Abba Muhammed (SAN), contended that the amendments were necessary and in line with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
Justice Onwuegbuzie ruled that the court had the discretion to permit amendments at any stage before judgment and emphasized that the defendant would still have the opportunity to present a defense.
The matter is still at the examination-in-chief stage, with the defense yet to be heard.
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