Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, on Thursday, granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) request to amend charges filed against a former Minister of Power, Olu Agunloye.
The commission in 2024 arraigned the ex-minister on a seven-count charge of corruption and fraudulent award of the Mambilla Power Project contract to the tune of $6 billion.
The EFCC counsel, Abba Mohammed (SAN) in July last year informed the court about the amended charge.
He urged the court to accept the same and ordered the defendant to take his plea in line with Sections 216 and 217 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
In his ruling, the judge held that amendment was not intended to overreach the defendant and cause injustice to him.
He stressed that a court may permit an alteration or amendment to a charge or framing of a new charge at any time before judgment is pronounced.
“In the court`s final decision, the arguments of the learned counsel to the defendant are hereby discountenanced and therefore hold that the application is liable to succeed accordingly, I so hold.
“The application is hereby granted as prayed on the face of the motion paper and the defendant is hereby ordered to take his plea on the altered or amended charge, this is the ruling of the court,” Justice Onwuegbuzie stated.
He adjourned the matter to February 3 for the defendant to take his plea.