After nearly a decade of legal back-and-forth, the Appeal Court in Abuja Tuesday cleared and discharged former Governor of Jigawa State, Dr. Sule Lamido, of Money laundering charges. Also discharged is Lamido’s Son, Hamza, who was charged along with the father by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Court of Appeal maintained that the Abuja High Court, where the EFCC had arraigned Lamido and his two sons, Hamza and Mustapha, was not within the jurisdiction where the offences were allegedly committed and was, therefore, not competent to hear the matter.
The court, consequently, delivered a no-case submission judgment against the EFCC.
Tuesday’s judgement is on an appeal of no case submission by the former governor, discharging him and his son Mustapha Sule Lamido on all count charges by the EFCC.
Tne Nigerian Xpress gathered that Justice Adamu Waziri, in the lead judgement, said the appeal is resolved against the respondent and in favour of the appellant.
“Having resolved them, he said, the ruling of the Federal High Court is thereby set aside, struck out, apparently discharged”.
EFCC had charged Mr. Lamido alongside two of his sons – Aminu Sule Lamido and Mustapha Sule Lamido – and others on money laundering charges involving N712,008,035.
The Federal High Court in Abuja had dismissed the no-case submission filed by Mr Lamido to challenge the 37 counts of money laundering filed against him and his co-defendants.
The Court in Abuja had ruled that, Sule Lamido, and his co-defendants had a case to answer with regard to the N712 milllion money laundering charges filed against them.
Lamido, however, appealed against the Federal High Court ruling
Charged along with Lamido and sons are four companies – Bamaina Company Nigeria Limited, Bamaina Aluminium Limited, Speeds International Limited – and Batholomew Darlignton Agoha.