14 yrs after, court acquits ex-Senate President Wabara of corruption charge

Former Senate president, Adolphus Wabara, has been discharged and acquitted on charges of corruption, by a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, presided over by S.E Aladetoyinbo.

The court ruling acquitting Wabara, and two others of allegations of bribery leveled against them by the federal government in 2005, was reached after S.E Aladetoyinbo said the prosecution lacked witnesses to prosecute the defendants: Mr Wabara, and the two others involved in the case.

S.E Aladetoyinbo discharged the three defendants in pursuant to Section 355 of the Administration of Criminal Justice (ACJA) Act 2015, stating that “with the prosecutors running into a brick wall (they) applied to withdraw the charge.”

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Each of the counsel to the defendants urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendants under Section 355 which states that: “Where a complainant at any time before a final order is made in a case satisfies the court that there are sufficient grounds for permitting him to withdraw his complaint, the court may permit him to withdraw the complaint and shall thereupon acquit the defendant.”

The court further held: The provision of this Section ACJA, 2015 is tantamount to discharge and acquittal which will enable the defendant to plead altra for acquit in future.

“Since the prosecutor claimed that the witnesses are no more available and this matter had been pending since 2005, the court will grant the request of defence counsel. The three Defendants are hereby discharged and acquitted under Section 355 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.”

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