Alex Enumah in Abuja
Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja, on Friday, discharged and acquitted former Lawyer-Normal of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, of cash laundering cost filed towards him by the federal authorities.
Justice Ekwo freed the previous AGF from the cost shortly after ruling that the prosecution, the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) did not show his allegations.
Adoke and an oil magnate, Aliyu Abubakar had been first arraigned earlier than Justice Binta Nyako in February 2020 after which Justice Ekwo on June 17, 2020 on a seven-count felony cost.
Though the prosecution had amended the cost to 14, then to 10, the defendants pleaded not responsible to all of the cost and likewise filed a “no-case submission”, after the anti-graft company had closed its case.
Ruling within the no-case submission on Friday, Ekwo held that the EFCC by way of documentary and oral proof was unable to determine a prima facie case towards Adoke.
The choose who held that the proof of the prosecution had been manifestly unreliable, consequently upheld Adoke’s no-case submission.
He, subsequently, declared Adoke discharged and acquitted of the cash laundering cost.
Nevertheless, Adoke’s co-defendant was not as fortunate because the choose held that the anti-graft company had established a prima facie case towards him in counts 5, six, eight and 9 of the cost most popular towards him.
The court docket nonetheless, freed him on counts one, seven and 10.
In the meantime, Justice Ekwo adjourned till April 22, 23 and 24 for Abubakar to open his defence.
Within the amended cost, Adoke was accused of amassing the sum of N300 million from Alhaji Abubakar as alleged proceeds of illegal actions in 2013, whereas in the identical yr, he was stated to have collected one other sum of $2.2 million from one Rislanudeen Muhammed.
He was additionally accused of disguising a sum of N300 million being proceeds of illegal actions he accepted from the second defendant.
The federal authorities additionally alleged that Adoke illegally paid the sum of N50 million in 13 tranches and one other N80 million in 22 tranches into his private account with Unity Financial institution in contravention of the nation’s monetary rules.
In one other cost, Adoke was stated to have paid the sum of N367 million, additionally in contravention of the monetary rules.
Adoke was additional accused of disguising the sources of the quantities deposited in his Unity Financial institution, an act opposite to the monetary legislation.
However, the second defendant, Abubakar, was stated to have in September 2013 obtained money fee of $2 million and one other $4 million from one Abdulkareem Mustapha, whereas in September and October similar yr, he was alleged to have collected one other sum $84.7 million.
In one other cost, the second defendant was accused of receiving $3 million and concealing the supply of similar.
In one other cost, the complainant was accused to have obtained $12 million being proceeds of alleged illegal act.
Abubakar was additionally alleged to have made the sum of N300 million money fee to Adoke in contravention of the Cash Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011.