EFCC Absence Stalls FSMLT Provost , Etukudoh Re- Arraignment Over Alleged  N359million Fraud

There are strong indications that the continued absence of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC is a deliberate act avoiding    the rearrangement of an alleged fraud case filed against the provost of Federal Medical Science Laboratory Technology Jos ,Dr Sunday Etukudoh.

This is because the EFCC has failed to appear in court twice for the prosecution of the accused persons standing trial on criminal charges of conspiracy and money laundering.

However, already there are speculations that the EFCC’s continued failure to appear would force the court to strike out the criminal case on the grounds of no case to answer.

Thou it has not been proved that the absence of the anti-graft agency will lead to a continuation of his case are fears that the action is generating agitation from the nature of the suit.

‘You would recalled that, since 2010 when the EFCC arraignment of Dr. Sunday Nkereuwem Etukudoh, Provost of the Federal School of Medical Laboratory Technology, FSMLT, Jos over his complicity in N4.2million fraud, earlier slated for June 17th ,2025 before Justice SP Gang  of the State High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State was stalled by the absence of the prosecution counsel , who was said to be  on another  way from Abuja when his car developed problem .

Etukudoh is to be arraigned alongside Oyibo on a 6-count charge bordering on fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The FSMLT Provost, in connivance with Ilemona Henry Oyibo, Desk Officer in the Budget Office of the Federation, allegedly in 2014 obtained money to the tune of N4.2million from the Federal Government under the pretext of organizing “Budget Preparation Training for the Account/Budget Call Officers of FSMLT, Jos and converted same to personal use.

The offence is in contravention of Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.

Though, parties were in court, the defendants could not take their pleas as the presiding EFCC was ‘unavoidably absent’.

In the circumstance, Takon Ndifon and Solomon Umoh, SAN, all represented by the prosecution and the defendants, respectively met and agreed on october 16th , 2025 date for possible re- arraignment.

Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Dr SUNDAY NKEREUWEM ETUKODOH being the Provost and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal School of Medical Laboratory Technology , Jos and ILEMONA HENRY OYIBO being the Desk Officer in the Budget Office of the Federation, sometime in 2014 in Jos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspire among yourselves to commit an offence to wit;

 to obtain money from the Federal Government of Nigeria under the false pretence of organizing Budget Preparation Training for the Account/Budget Call Officers of the Federal School of Medical Laboratory Technology, Jos which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section  1(3) of the same Act”.

Particulars of count two read: “That you, Dr SUNDAY NKEREUWEM ETUKODOH being the Provost and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal School of Medical Laboratory Technology, Jos and Ilemona Henry Oyibo being the Desk Officer in the Budget Office of Federation, on or about the 29th day of December, 2014 in Jos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N1,138,900.00 (One Million, One Hundred and Thirty-Eight Thousand Nine Hundred Naira) from the Federal Government of Nigeria via Account No: 1004577071 domiciled at Zenith Bank, Plc in the name of Ilemona Henry Oyibo, under the pretence that the said amount is consultant fee for organising Budget Preparation Training for the Account/ Budget Call Officers of the Federal School of Medical Laboratory Technology, Jos which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act”.

Etukudoh is currently facing another charge before Justice G .P.Gang of the Plateau State High Court, where he, alongside Yusuf Samuel, Accountant, FSMLT; Ernest Demtoe, Secretary of Tenders Board, FSMLT; Goodluck Echewa, and Esio Udoh, both contractors of FSMLT, are being prosecuted on a 15-count charge of conspiracy and diversion of funds to the tune of N359million.

EFCC prosecution counsel who’s in charge of the prosecuting the case, failed twice to appear on Tuesday ,17th Day of June,2025 .

EFCC had dragged Dr Sunday Etukudoh and three others,Yusuf Samuel, Accountant, FSMLT; Ernest Demtoe, Secretary of Tenders Board, FSMLT; Goodluck Echewa, and Esio Udoh, before the state High Court sitting in Jos Division of Plateau State capital, for alleged diversion and money laundering.

The anti-graft agency had accused Sunday and others of forging receipts and signatures to divert billions of naira from federal government.

How EFCC nabbed Dr Sunday Etukudoh over ‘fraud’

The agency had filed an 15-count charge bordering on forgery, conspiracy and stealing from the federal government .

But, the court has not been able to hear the case for different reasons.

On February 18th,2025 , that prosecutor vehicle broke down on his way which these  matters made it impossible for the court to commence hearing of the case since retirement of the three jurists handling the case .

In January, 2021 the matter could not be heard because the judge was reassigned the case file and they kept picking long adjournment dates to further cripple and denied justice to be serve  .

Likewise, since 2010  the case was stalled when Justice Dakwak , Daniel Longji and Christine Dabup were retired from active servce .

Also, three months ago when the case was called, the court could not hear the case following the absence of the EFCC’s counsel.

Our correspondent who was at the court on Tuesday was told the court could not sit and the case adjourned till the 16th of October, 2025

The principal witness in the case, who is also the Provost since college was established in 2001 claimed that he had health challenges and fled the country for treatment  .

This is the second time that EFCC  lawyer’s failed to  continue attending proceedings in the matter, complaining that his vehicles broke on roads .