The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Tuesday, dismissed the alleged N1.35billion money laundering charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against a former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, his sons and other defendants.
A three-member panel of the appellate court struck out the charge on a technical ground, citing lack of jurisdiction by the Federal High Court to conduct the trial in Abuja.
The appellate court further upheld the no-case submission which the defendants filed the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging the validity of the charge.
The EFCC had been prosecuting Lamido, his two sons and their companies for about eight years before the Federal High Court in Abuja, following their alleged involvement in 37 counts of money laundering involving about N1.35 billion.
The other defendants charged alongside the former governor included his two sons – Aminu and Mustapha. The others are Aminu Wada Abubakar, and their companies – Bamaina Holdings Ltd and Speeds International Ltd.
The EFCC had accused Lamido of abusing his position as governor between 2007 and 2015, allegedly laundering sums of money received as kickbacks from companies that were awarded contracts by the Jigawa State Government under his leadership.
The EFCC had called over 16 witnesses before closing its case last year.
Afterwards, the defendants opted for a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution had not placed sufficient materials before the court to warrant them entering defence.
But Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court in Abuja had dismissed the no-case submission and ordered the defendants to open their defence on 8 to 11 November 2022.
Dissatisfied, Lamido and other defendants approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja for redress.
The Court of Appeal later heard the appeal arising from the case in June and reserved judgment, saying that it would communicate the date of the judgement to the parties.
In the lead judgment delivered by Adamu Waziri on Tuesday, the appellate court resolved the issues raised in the appeal against the EFCC and in favour of the appellants and held that the Federal High Court in Abuja lacked jurisdiction to entertain the charges.
The appellate court further held that the alleged offences took place in Jigawa State, therefore, the charges ought to be filed in Jigawa State and not in Abuja.
The appellate court consequently struck out the charge and discharged the defendants.
The trial, which commenced in 2015 had seen the EFCC calling about 16 witnesses before closing its case.
But instead of opening their defence, the defendants opted to file a no- case submission, arguing that the prosecution had not placed sufficient materials before the court to warrant their defence.
But Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, threw out the no-case submission, and upheld the submissions of the EFCC’s counsel, Chile Okoroma.
The judge held that Lamido and the other defendants had a case to answer and ordered them to open their defence.
Dissatisfied, Lamido proceeded to the Court of Appeal to challenge the Federal High Court’s verdict
