Court throws out EFCC case against former AGF Adoke

A Federal High Court, Abuja on Friday dismissed the alleged money laundering charge brought against a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke.

The case had been filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The presiding judge, Justice Inyang upheld the “no case” submission by Adoke and subsequently discharged and acquitted him of all charges.

In his ruling, Justice Ekwo said the EFCC did not provide any evidence to prove the essential elements of the offence against Adoke who was listed as first defendant in the case, and therefore, upheld the no case submission, discharging and acquitting the ex-Minister.

The Commission had dragged Adoke and an Abuja property developer, Abubakar Aliyu, to court in 2017 on alleged money laundering to the tune of N300 million.

READ ALSO:EFCC re-arraigns former AGF Adoke in court on fresh charges

In 2020, the agency also charged the former Minister on an alleged contract falsification in an OPL 245 transaction before Justice Abubakar Kutigi of the FCT high court.

In its presentation before Justice Ekwo, the EFCC said Adoke committed the offence when he took a mortgage from Unity Bank, alleging that the money was proceeds of a bribe from the sale of the OPS oil block by Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd in 2011.

During an earlier hearing on March 28, Justice Kutigi however, pointed out the contradictions in the Commission’s statements while dismissing the charges against Adoke and other defendants.

Kutigi also castigated the anti-graft agency for not carrying out its investigation diligently and for wasting the court’s time for four years.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now