Justice Babatunde Quadri has ruled that former governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje, should answer charges on two of the 21-counts brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Goje, a serving Senator, is standing trial along with a former executive chairman of the state’s Universal Basic Education Board, Aliyu El-Nafaty and SM Dokoro for alleged N5-billion fraud. A fourth defendant, the former governor’s cousin, Sabo Tumu, who passed away, was removed from the charge sheet.
The allegations included financial impropriety, including the award of contracts for food supply to the state’s Government House during his tenure.
However, Justice Quadri, sitting at the Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State, quashed 19 of the 21 counts, but held that the Goje and Dokoro had a case to answer on counts eight and nine, and ruled that they should open their defense on May 8, 2019. He was ruling on Goje’s “no case” submission.
The allegations Gogi and his co-accused need to answer relate to a directive given by the former governor for the auctioning of 50 Toyota busses to government functionaries.
The EFCC had through its counsel, Wahab Shittu, closed its case against them, on May 31, 2018, after calling 25 witnesses and tendering several documents to prove its case.