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EFCC Says Bafarawa’s Acquittal Unacceptable, Vows To Appeal Judgement

  The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has described as “shocking and unacceptable”, the ruling of the Sokoto State High Court which discharged and … Continue reading EFCC Says Bafarawa’s Acquittal Unacceptable, Vows To Appeal Judgement


EFCC Says Bafarawa’s Acquittal Unacceptable, Vows To Appeal Judgement
Former Sokoto State Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa (file)
EFCC Says Bafarawa’s Acquittal Unacceptable, Vows To Appeal Judgement
Former Sokoto State Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa (file)

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has described as “shocking and unacceptable”, the ruling of the Sokoto State High Court which discharged and acquitted former Governor Attahiru Bafarawa of the charges against him.

Spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, revealed this in a statement on Tuesday, hours after Justice Bello Abbas cleared the former governor and four others of the 22 counts of conspiracy, criminal misappropriation, theft and receiving of stolen funds levelled against them.

Others acquitted alongside Bafarawa are Nasiru Bafarawa, Salihu Gummi, Beedash Nigeria Limited, and Nasdabap Nigeria Limited.

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

They were, however, surprised that 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 were “no documentary evidence” to back up the claim of witnesses.

The anti-graft agency claimed that the judge erred in law while its counsel has been mandated 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,” the EFCC alleged.

The defendants were first arraigned on 47 counts alongside 12 others on December 16, 2009, before the Sokoto State High Court.

Upon arraignment, they all pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them by the commission.

Soon after their arraignment, the defendants filed a motion asking the court to quash the charges against them, but the motion was dismissed by both the trial court and the Court of Appeal.

On September 29, 2011, the prosecution filed an amended 44-count against the accused persons.

While the case was ongoing, one of the accused persons, Abdullahi Bida, died while another, Aisha Binji, was discharged following a nolle prosequi application filed by the then Attorney General of Sokoto State.

“Even more shocking was the wholesale pardon of five of the defendants by the current governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal,” the EFCC said.

It added, “Those pardoned by Tambuwal are Alhaji Tukur Alkali, who is the Commissioner for Animal Health and Fisheries Development; Commissioner for Home Affairs, Isa Achida; the Chairman, Governing Board, National Commission for Colleges of Education, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi; the member representing Isa constituency at the House of Assembly, Alhaji Habibu Modachi; and a Permanent Secretary, Isah Bello.”

The commission said on December 16, 2017, the prosecution closed its case against the defendants who, through their counsel, filed an application for no-case submission which was subsequently dismissed by the court on January 31, 2018.

It said Justice Abbas had on May 8 reserved July 4 for judgment in the matter, but the parties were informed that the judge was out of the state on an official assignment, when the case came up.

They had subsequently agreed to return to court on July 31, for the judgment.