$40M ALLEGED FRAUD: Court frees wife of Jonathan’s cousin, but says husband has case to answer

A Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday discharged and acquitted Stella Azibaola, wife of Robert Azibaola, a cousin to former President Goodluck Jonathan, of any wrong doing in the $40 million alleged fraud leveled against her and her husband by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court which also sacked seven out of the nine charges the anti-graft agency leveled against Mr. Azibaola, however ruled that he had a case to answer in two of the charges.

The EFCC had accused the Aziboalas of fraudulently receiving $40 million from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col Sambo Dasuki, in 2014.

But ruling on the no-case submission filed by the defendants on Thursday, the trial judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, struck out the name of Azibaola’s wife, Stella, from the two charges.

He also held that the EFCC had no-case in relation to counts 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.

On counts 2 and 3, Dimgba held that Mr. Azibaola and his company; One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited had a case to answer and ordered them to enter their defence in respect of the two counts.

Explaining the ruling, the court noted there was no sufficient evidence to warrant the defendants to enter their defence against the seven counts.

It added that while the EFCC had led sufficient evidence linking Azibaola and the company to counts 2 and 3, that the commission failed to connect the wife, Stella to the two charges.

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“On the strength of the evidence adduced, I see no sufficient evidence linking the 2nd defendant (Stella) to counts 2 and 3. I therefore accordingly discharge and acquit the 2nd defendant of counts 2 and 3.

“I hold that there is sufficient prima facie case against the 1st and the 3rd defendants. The no case-submission on these counts fails in relation to them and I therefore accordingly direct the 1st and 3rd defendants (Azibaola and One Plus to open their defence to counts 2 and 3,” Dimgba said.

 

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