The high-profile case concerning the alleged aiding of the suicide of Mrs Lilian Omokhuale, daughter of Omoruyi Oloton, Chief Executive Officer of Uyi Technical Limited, took a new turn as Justice B. O. Quadri, of the Federal High Court in Benin Cityv accepted an amended charge sheet that significantly altered the list of accused persons.
This development followed an application by the prosecution counsel, P. O. Odion, acting on the directive of the Inspector General of Police, which led to the formal withdrawal of charges against three of the original defendants, Chukwudi Akpotowho, Blessing Jatto, and Vincent Uhunmwangho.
As a result, the amended charge now lists only Jessica Iguodala Oghomwen, Akpes Omorodion, and Esther Eguomo Oisamoje who remain at large as defendants.
The revised charge sheet, dated 22 May 2025 and replacing the earlier version filed on 24 July 2024, alleges that in 2020, the remaining defendants conspired in Benin City to commit financial crimes, including money laundering and operating illegal banking activities without authorisation.
They are also accused of aiding the suicide of Mrs Lilian Omokhuale and of fraudulently procuring a forged Deed of Transfer, dated 23 January 2025, bearing the names of Eromosele Omokhuale, Lilian Omokhuale, and Akpes Omorodion.
Before this recent hearing, two other individuals, Akpes Omorodion and Joy Noren, had already been dropped from the list of defendants in earlier revisions of the charge.
Despite being cleared of charges, Blessing Jatto was earlier warned by Justice Quadri, who threatened to issue a bench warrant against her if she failed to appear for the Thursday's hearing.
This echoes a similar action taken in November 2024, when the court issued a bench warrant against Jessica Iguodala Oghomwen after repeated absences.
At a hearing on 4 February 2025, P. O. Odion informed the court that Oghomwen had deliberately evaded proceedings and had shown a pattern of contempt for the judicial process, prompting calls for INTERPOL assistance in executing the warrant.
During the same sitting, E. O. Afolabi, with support from D. Ogbankwa, reminded the court that Oghomwen’s former surety, O. I. Asenoguan, had withdrawn from the case, citing her supposed ill health and residence in Germany.
However, her newly appointed counsel, Dele Igbinedion, criticised the authorities for not verifying her claims and filed a motion contesting the bench warrant which the court was yet to rule on before the latest development
The case has been adjourned until 10 July 2025 for further proceedings.
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