EFCC Loses N15bn Case Against Ex-Governor Bafarawa

A Sokoto State High Court on Tuesday discharged and acquitted a former governor of the state, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, and two others of 22 corruption charges filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The anti-graft agency had accused Bafarawa, who was Sokoto State Governor between 1999 and 2007, and the others of misappropriating and embezzling N15bn.

But in his three-hour judgment on Tuesday, the trial judge, Justice Bello Abbas, dismissed the entire 22 charges against Bafarawa, saying the anti-graft agency failed to prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubts.

But the EFCC rejected the judgment, vowing to challenge it on appeal.

In a statement on Tuesday by its spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC said it was unfortunate that despite the nine witnesses it presented before the court, the judge failed to convict the accused persons.

Those charged along with Bafarawa but acquitted by the court were Beedash Nigeria Limited, Nasdabap Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Nasiru Bafarawa and Alhaji Salihu Gummi.

Uwujaren said, “In the course of the trial, the EFCC had called nine witnesses and presented several documents that were admitted in evidence while the defendants called only six witnesses.

“Surprisingly, Justice Abbas discharged and acquitted the accused persons of all counts on the premise that the evidence presented by the prosecution were mere hearsay and that there was no documentary evidence to back up the claim of witnesses.

“The commission believes that the judge erred in law and has mandated its counsel to immediately appeal the ruling at the Court of Appeal.

“The judgment of Justice Abbas is the climax in the series of twists and turns that the trial had witnessed over the last nine years or so.”

culled from Olu famous Mr Olumide's Blog