Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, has been acquitted by an Abuja High Court over his alleged complicity in a N1.97billion contract fraud.
Orubebe was hauled to the court in 2015 on a six-count charge of money laundering and bribery by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
Trial Justice Olukayode Adeniyi on Tuesday struck out the charges before discharging and acquitting him following a motion to withdraw by the prosecution, Vanguard writes.
Other defendants in the suit – Mr. Oludare Davis Alaba, an Assistant Director at the Ministry of Niger-Delta Affairs, and the Director of Contracts, Gitto Costruzioni Generali Nig. Ltd., Mr. Ephraim Towede Zari – were also allowed to walk.
The prosecution was given until April 4, 2017 (today) to produce its witnesses, but shortly after the arraignment of the defendants, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), sent a letter to Chairman of the ICPC stating that the N1,965,576,153.46, which Orubebe allegedly diverted, “has not been expended, but is awaiting further contract decisions and directives from the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs”.
The letter, signed by the Director of Public Prosecution and dated December 16, 2016, read in part: “In view of the above, the basis for the prosecution of the accused persons for misappropriation does not exist and thus, further prosecution cannot be justified”.
Orubebe, who was found guilty of false declaration of assets at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, served under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and came to national prominence when he challenged the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Attahiru Jega, during the announcement of results of the 2015 presidential election.