*EFCC vows to appeal Moro’s discharge
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja has discharged and acquitted former Minister of Interior, Senator Abba Moro in respect of the charges of fraud arising from the conduct of the botched Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise in 2014.
Justice Dimgba had in 2020, quashed seven out of the 11- count charge against Abba Morro and his co-defendants, following a no-case submission.
The judge also in his judgement on Thursday, exonerated Abba Moro and a former Director in the ministry, Mr Femi Alayebami in the remaining four counts.
The court had in 2020 freed Abba Morro, who is presently the Senator representing Benue South on counts 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, along with Mr Alayebami and ordered all the defendants to open their defence in the remaining four counts- 2, 4, 5 and 11.
Dismissing the charge against Abba Morro, Justice Dimgba held that he (Moro) was neither a member of tenders board nor a member of the committee that recommended the setting up of e-recruitment portal for the exercise when he was the minister.
The judge also held that the prosecuting Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) could not prove how Abba Moro abused his office, saying that he found him not guilty of the charge preferred against him by the anti-graft agency.
But Justice Dimgba convicted Abba Morro’s co-defendant, a former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Interior, Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia.
Convicting the former permanent secretary, the judge held that as the accounting officer of the ministry, Daniel-Nwobia was responsible for ensuring that award of contracts are done in compliance with the Pubic Procurement Act.
The judge added that having found that there was no approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) before inviting the four companies, the former permanent secretary was guilty as charged.
But Justice Dimgba has deferred the sentencing of Daniel-Nwobia to April 27.
The former Permanent Secretary was convicted on count four of the charge, which the court noted, carries a maximum jail term of five years without an option of a fine.
They were initially arraigned before Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court, Abuja, for their roles in the botched March 15, 2014 Immigration recruitment.
Meanwhile, the EFCC has reacted to the judgment of Justice Dimgba which discharged and acquitted Senator Abba Moro, saying that it will appeal the verdict.
Speaking through its Head of Media and Publicity, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC averred that the trial court erred in discharging the former minister and his co-defendant.
