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ALLEGED $140,000 FRAUD: EFCC asks court to dismiss Atiku son-in-law’s no-case submission

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday asked the Federal High Court, Lagos, to dismiss the no-case submission filed by Abdullahi Babalele, son-in-law to former vice president Atiku Abubakar.

The EFCC arraigned Babalele on October 8, 2019, on a two-count charge of fraud to the tune of $140,000.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

At the last sitting on November 25, the EFCC called two witnesses and tendered several documents that were admitted as evidence by the court.

When hearing resumed on the case on Monday, counsel to the defendant, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), brought a no-case submission dated November 27, 2020, and urged the court to hold that Babalele “has no case to answer.”

Ozekhome argued that the EFCC had not lent any credible evidence in support of the charges preferred against his client.

READ ALSO: EFCC re-arraigns Atiku’s son-in-law for laundering $140,000

He, therefore, prayed the court to hold that “no prima facie case has been established in any way or manner against the ex-vice president’s son-in-law and asked the court to discharge the defendant.

However, the EFCC counsel, U.U. Buhari, in his response, urged the court to dismiss the defendant’s no-case submission.

Buhari submitted that the prosecution has been able to link the defendant to the offence and, therefore has a case to answer.

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, after listening to both parties, adjourned the case till December 21 for ruling on the defendant’s no-case submission.

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