Former president of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi, and three of his former colleagues, Amanze Uchegbulam, Taiwo Ogunjobi, and Bolaji Ojo-Oba, had their hope of relief over the corruption case hanging on their heads dashed on Tuesday, as Court 8 of the Federal High Court, Abuja presided over by Justice F.S. Chukwu failed to give ruling on the “no case” submission filed by the defendants counsels.
The quartet has been standing trial over alleged mismanagement of the resources of the federation when they ruled at the Glass House.
Friends, associates and members of the public who besieged the court yesterday for the ruling were disappointed as the much anticipated ruling on the corruption case against the quartet that has lingered for almost six years now, could not be delivered.
At the resumption of court proceedings on Tuesday for ruling, the presiding judge, Justice F. S. Chukwu, announced that he was not in the position to give ruling on the matter, claiming the case’s file was brought to him just 10 minutes earlier.
“I am not in the position to make any ruling on this case today [yesterday] or give judgment on it because my registrar gave me the case’s file barely 10 minutes ago. I need enough time therefore to study it before I can give my ruling,” he stated.
After consulting the various parties in the case, it was rescheduled for February 16, 2016 for ruling.
Chief Sunday Ameh (SAN), leading counsel for the defendants had on October 8, 2015, announced to the court on the pending motion of no-case-submission. He had said: “My Lord, my clients have filed ajoint no-case-submission on about three grounds why they should not stand this trial. “We have duly served the prosecution team and some responses received from them.
“We will be glad if the court allows us to move the motion with the hope of getting this case behind us,’’ he said.
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