Court to deliver judgment in ex-NAF chief’s trial for alleged money laundering March 17

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Wednesday, fixed March 17 for ruling in the trial of a former Chief of Air Staff, Mohammed Umar, for alleged money laundering.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Umar on a seven-count charge of money laundering on January 25, 2017.

The commission accused the defendant of money laundering and procurement fraud to the tune of N9.7 billion.

But the court dismissed six of the charges last year.

The judge fixed the date after the defence and prosecution counsel adopted their final addresses at the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday.

Counsel to Umar, Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the remaining charge and acquit the defendant.

Ikpeazu said he based his submission on the grounds that the EFCC failed to provide evidence to establish that the offence was committed by the defendant.

He added that there was no exhibit to show that N66 million was transferred from the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) account to the Capital Law Firm for the renovation of the defendant’s private residence.

READ ALSO: Ex-NAF chief convicted of corruption paid N500,000 option of fine same day

The counsel insisted that the prosecution’s argument for the conviction of the ex-NAF chief on a lesser charge was untenable in law.

He said: “In all cases of lesser offences, there must be two separate offences as one cannot be charged for one offence and convicted on an entirely different charge.

“The court cannot go outside the law charged and convict under another law not charged.”

On his part, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, maintained that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that money left NAF account to the Capital Law Firm account.

“We didn’t prove that N66 million left the NAF account but N57 million left in two tranches of N47 million and N10 million,” he said.

Justice Dimgba thereafter fixed March 17 for judgment on the case.

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