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JUST IN: Court acquits Jonathan’s cousin of $40m fraud charges

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The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday dismissed money laundering charges involving the sum of $40m preferred against a cousin of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr. Robert Azibaola.

Azibaola and his company, One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited were charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission with money laundering offences for allegedly receiving the sum of $40m from the Office of the then National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, in September 2014 for the “supply of tactical communication equipment”, a job the prosecution alleged was not done.

But delivering judgment on Monday,  Justice Nnamdi Dimgba discharged and acquitted Azibaola and his company, as he held that there were many doubts raised in the prosecution’s case which were not investigated and cleared.

“The doubts are bound to be resolved in favour‎ of the defendants,” the judge held.

Dismissing the remaining two counts after seven of the nine counts originally filed by the prosecution were struck out by the court in March last year, the judge held on Monday that the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

The judge held that the prosecution failed to debunk the explanation offered by the defence.

The court held that the prosecution failed to puncture the defence’s explanation that the description of the payment of the $40m by the ONSA as “supply of tactical communication equipment” was a disguise for the real purpose of the money as it was the usual practice in security management.

According to the judge, the defence in the course of the trial adduced oral and documentary evidence that the money was actually meant to be paid to Niger Delta militants who were in the business of oil bunkering in other to achieve peace in the region and boost oil revenue in the country.

The judge noted that the defence,  not only provided evidence that the defendants actually paid the militants, one of whom testified that he received payment from the defendants, and had since left the oil bunkering business, vouchers were also tendered to show that other groups were paid.

He held that the prosecution failed to call material witness such as Dasuki, who is publicly known to be in “the custody of the state”, or officials of ONSA while Dasuki held sway, to debunk the claim by the defence.

He noted that neither was Dasuki interviewed nor charged alongside the defendants.

Earlier on March 29, 2018, Justice Dimgba had upheld the defendants’ no-case submission, by striking out the name of Azibaola’s wife, Stella, along with seven out of the nine counts originally filed by the prosecution.

The judge, in exonerating Azibaola, and striking out the seven counts, held that there no sufficient evidence to sustain the seven counts.

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Court Grants Malami N200m Bail in DSS Terrorism, Firearm Charges

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Justice Joyce Abdulmalikof the Federal High Court Abujahas admitted a former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, and his son Abdulazizto N200 million bail in the charges bordering on alleged terrorism and illegal firearms possession brought against them by the Department of State Service (DSS).

Malami and his son were, however, ordered to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of the bail conditions imposed on them by the Court.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted them bail while ruling on their bail applications, which were argued by their lead Counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN).

The judge ordered the former AGF and his son to get two sureties each, one of whom must own landed property either in Maitama or Asokoro.

Justice Abdulmalik said that the title of the property must be deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court, along with valid international passports.

The sureties are also to depose to an affidavit of means and submit their two recent passport photographs to the court.

Malami and his son were also ordered to submit their international passports and recent passport photographs to the court.

The judge subsequently fixed March 4 for the commencement of the trial.

The Department of State Services (DSS) had arraigned Malami and his son, Abdulaziz, on a five-count charge bordering on terrorism and illegal firearms possession.

In the charge, Malami was accused of refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers, whose case files were handed to him while he served as the AGF and Minister of Justice.

Malami and Abdulaziz are equally accused of warehousing firearms in their residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birain Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, without lawful authority.

The DSS accused Malami in count one of the charge, with knowingly abetting terrorism financing, while the ex-AGF and his son are charged in counts two to five, with unlawful, possession of a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 Redstar AAA 5720 live rounds of cartridges and 27 expended Redstar AAA 5’20 cartridges, contrary to and punishable under relevant Sections of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and Firearms Act, 2004.

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Fubara Appoints New SSG, Chief of Staff

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Governor Siminalayi Fubara has appointed Dr. Dagogo S.A. Wokoma as the new Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) and Barrister Sunny Ewule as Chief of Staff, after the recent shake-up of the State’s political and administrative structure.

The appointments were announced on Thursday in a Special Government Notice signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onwuka Nzeshi, and made available to journalists. Both appointments take immediate effect.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onwuka Nzeshi, the governor appointed Dr Dagogo Wokoma as Secretary to the State Government and Mr. Sunny Ewule as Chief of Staff.

The statement said the appointments take immediate effect, adding that the new appointees would be sworn in at 2:00 p.m. at the Executive Council Chamber, Government House, Port Harcourt.

The development comes amid the protracted political crisis in the State, which recently escalated into impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, by the State House of Assembly. The crisis was eventually diffused following the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.

Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, had last week announced during plenary that the Assembly formally withdrew the impeachment notice against the governor and his deputy after the President’s intervention.

Political observers suggest that the dissolution of the cabinet may be part of efforts to rebalance the power structure in the following the peace accord. However, it remains unclear whether the new appointees are aligned with the governor or loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The statement read in part: “The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has appointed Dr. Dagogo S.A. Wokoma as the Secretary to the State Government and Barrister Sunny Ewule as the Chief of Staff.

“Both appointments are with immediate effect. The new appointees will be sworn in at 2:00 pm.today, Thursday, February 26, 2026. The swearing-in ceremony will take place at the Executive Council Chamber, Government House, Port Harcourt.”

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Court Strikes Out Forgery Case Against Ozekhome As FG Withdraws Charges

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The Federal Government has formally withdrawn the forgery charge filed against senior lawyer Mike Ozekhome, bringing an abrupt pause to a case that had drawn public attention.

The charge was originally instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
It followed a judgment delivered by a London court over a property linked to the late former FCT minister, Jeremiah Useni.

In January, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation took over the matter from the ICPC for what it described as effective prosecution.

However, proceedings took a new turn on Tuesday at the FCT High Court.

The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, informed Peter Kekemeke that the Federal Government was withdrawing the case file for “further instruction”.

He explained that the decision was taken in line with the provisions of Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

Counsel to the defence, Paul Erokoro, SAN, told the court that his team had no objection to the withdrawal of the charge.

In a brief ruling, Justice Kekemeke held that since the application was not opposed, it was granted.

He consequently struck out the charge and ordered that the case be dismissed.

The withdrawal effectively halts legal action against Ozekhome over the alleged forgery linked to the disputed property transaction.

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