By Erewunmi Peace

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed December 8, 2025, for judgment in the ongoing trial of Emmanuella Eteta Ita, a senior staff of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), who is facing charges bordering on the alleged diversion and misappropriation of over ₦2 billion.

Eteta Ita, who heads the Stakeholders Unit at the FIRS, was arraigned alongside her private company, Surestart School Limited, on multiple counts of criminal breach of trust, money laundering, and misappropriation of public funds.

During the proceedings, the prosecution presented evidence suggesting that funds belonging to the FIRS were allegedly diverted into personal and company accounts linked to the defendant. Testimonies from key witnesses reportedly traced several suspicious transactions to Surestart School, which is believed to be owned by the FIRS official.

Eteta Ita has, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges, maintaining that the funds were duly accounted for and that the case is a result of internal administrative misunderstandings within the agency.

Justice Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo, presiding over the matter, has now reserved judgment for December 8, when the court will determine the guilt or otherwise of the accused.

The case, which has attracted wide public attention due to its high-profile nature, is one of several corruption-related trials currently being monitored by anti-graft agencies in Nigeria’s public sector.