.•••We Will Appeal Verdict – EFCC
Former Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Andrew Yakubu, has been discharged and acquitted by a Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed, in Abuja on Thursday.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, had six years ago, charged Yakubu to court for $9.8 million corruption charges brought against him by the Commission.
Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed in a judgment ordered that the huge foreign exchange seized from him in 2017 and kept at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) be refunded to him forthwith.
Justice Mohammed, delivering his judgement stated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission which put Yakubu on trial, failed woefully to establish that he held the money over and above the threshold allowed by law.
Justice Mohammed further said that the evidence of the witnesses of the anti-graft agency created gap of doubts which must be resolved in favour of the defendant.
Based on the submission, the court struck out two of the six counts. Two further counts were chalked off upon appeal by the defendant while the appellate court ordered his continued trial on the remaining two counts.
Delivering judgment, on Thursday, Justice Mohammed held that the prosecution failed to prove the ingredient of the offence beyond reasonable doubt.
He held that the Commission ought to have investigated the defendant’s claims that the monetary gifts he claimed to have received came from his friends, and tender the recovered cash before the court.
Consequently, he discharged and acquitted the defendant,
Meanwhile, EFCC, while reacting to the judgement said the Commission, will appeal the ruling by Justice Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
EFCC stressed that the judge erred in law by dismissing the charge adding that it will appeal the ruling.
Yakubu had pleaded not guilty upon arraignment. In the course of trial, the Commission called witnesses and tendered documents in evidence, but the defendant filed a no case submission.
“However the Commission believes the trial judge erred in dismissing the charge and has resolved to test the ruling at the appellate court.” The statement from the Commission stated.
Recall that he was arraigned by the Commission in March 2017, following the discovery of $9.8million stashed in his property located in the Sabon Tasha Suburb of Kaduna.