Justice Deinde Dipeolu rejected the motion filed by the bank, three individuals and a company seeking to stop Barrister Emmanuel A. Jackson, a retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, from continuing with the prosecution of a fraud case instituted by the Nigeria Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU).
The ruling clears the way for the continuation of the criminal trial in which UBA and its co-defendants are accused of involvement in a $950,000 fraud scheme.
UBA is standing trial alongside Chibueze Ojeh, Obinna Nwosu, Emeka Njoku, and Castle Equipment & Logistics Limited in a five-count amended charge marked FHC/AWK/25/2020.
The defendants are being prosecuted over allegations of conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, fraud involving $950,000, and issuance of dud cheques.
The alleged victim is businessman Nnamdi Vincent Ezenwa, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of **Vinna Investment Limited.
According to the prosecution, the defendants allegedly carried out the offences in collaboration with Onyinyechi Oraegbunem, a former branch manager of UBA in Aba, Abia State, and Pamela Onaga, an account officer linked to the victim. Both are said to be at large.
The matter has been before the court since 2020, with Jackson—formerly the officer in charge of the legal department of the PSFU—leading the prosecution.
However, following his retirement from the police in April 2025, the defendants challenged his continued participation in the trial, filing a motion asking the court to disqualify him.
They argued that, having retired from the Nigeria Police Force, Jackson no longer possessed the constitutional authority to prosecute criminal cases on behalf of the police.
