A former governor of Niger state, Mu’azu Aliyu, and two others have been acquitted by the state high court over an alleged N1.940 billion money laundering case.
The suit was instituted against the former governor by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Herald gathered that the court claimed that the anti-graft commission failed to show diligence in prosecuting the corruption case brought against Aliyu.
It was learnt that the EFCC counsel had failed to appear before the court three times without sending any representative which led to unnecessary adjournments.
The lawyer also asked the EFCC counsel to equally declare he is withdrawing from the case which he reportedly did. Subsequently, the court discharged and acquitted Aliyu and his co-defendants on the premise that the EFCC lacked diligent prosecution.
Earlier, The Herald reported that Mohammed Adoke, immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, begged the Federal High Court in Abuja to remand him at Kuje Correctional Center instead of leaving him in custody of the EFCC.
Recall that Adoke was re-arrested shortly after he perfected the bail conditions that were handed to him by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory at Gwagwalada,
He pleaded not guilty to a fresh seven-count money laundering charge that was preferred against him by the anti-graft agency.
He was docked alongside his co-defendant, Aliyu Abubakar, who was accused of paying dollar equivalent of N300million into the ex-AGF’s bank account in September 2013, in breach of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
Arguing his bail application, Adoke, through his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, told the court that he was brought for arraignment straight from the Federal Medical Centre in Jabi Abuja, where he was admitted for treatment.
He pleaded the court to grant him bail on liberal terms, saying he would, however, wish to be remanded in the the Kuje Correctional Centre, instead of the custody of the EFCC.