EFCC approaches Supreme Court to nullify ex-Gov Lamido’s discharge for money laundering

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has approached the Supreme Court to set aside the appeal court which discharged the former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, on money laundering charges.

The appellate court had about two weeks ago discharged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and his two sons – Aminu and Mustapha on the money laundering charges.

The trio were arraigned in 2015 alongside Aminu Abubakar, the ex-governor’s associate, and four companies – Bamaina Company Nigeria Limited, Bamaina Aluminium Limited, Speeds International Limited, and Batholomew Darlington Agoha on a 37-count charge of money laundering.

In a statement issued by its Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, the commission declared that the court erred in law by discharging the defendants.

The statement read: “In a notice of appeal filed at the supreme court and dated July 31, 2023, the EFCC is asking the apex court to set aside the whole decision of the court of appeal and order a return of the case to the trial court to continue and conclude same, on the grounds that the appellate court erred in law when it discharged the respondents.”

READ ALSO: Appeal Court discharges ex-Gov Lamido, sons on money laundering charges

“Among the four grounds of the appeal is the contention by the appellant that the court of appeal erred in law when it held that case was wrongly commenced in the Abuja division of the federal high court instead of Kano and proceeded to strike out the charge and discharge the appellants.

“Contrary to the decision of the appellate court, the appellant contends that section 98(1) of the ACJA, 2015 confers on the chief judge of the federal high court the power to transfer a case from one court to another where the transfer of the case will promote the ends of justice or will be in the interest of the public peace.

“According to the appellant, the record of the appeal or evidence before the court below showed that the instant case was commenced in the Kano judicial division of the federal high court but was transferred to Abuja for security reasons.”

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