By George Aluo
Former Acting President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Chief Mike Umeh has been discharged and acquitted by the Supreme Court in the case of money laundering in which he was charged alongside former Sokoto State governor, Attahiru Bafarawa.
The Supreme Court in a judgement delivered by former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Walter Onoghen on February 15, 2019 discharged and acquitted Chief Umeh on the allegations levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Nigerian Xpress Sports gathered that Umeh’s travails began in May 2013, when he was picked from his Lagos home by operatives of EFCC, following a warrant by a Sokoto High Court.
After several trips to Sokoto, detentions and trials, the case was heard at the Sokoto High Court where the accused was first discharged and aquitted.
The EFCC and the Sokoto state government appealed against the rulling. On March 24, 2017 the Court of Appeal Sokoto Judicial Division, presided over by Dr Hussein Mukhtar upheld the decision of the lower court on grounds that “the appeal is blatantly lacking in substance,” and was accordingly dismissed.
The judgement added, “the judgement of the lower court delivered on 17/2/2016 is therefore affirmed.”
Not satisfied with the decision of the Court of Appeal, the complainants appealed again, this time to the Supreme Court, which put the final seal to the previous decisions of the two lower courts.
After the Supreme Court judgement, Umeh who was still basking in the euphoria of the victory told The Nigerian Xpress Sports that he was talking to his lawyers to look at the possibility of seeking redress for he has suffered monumental loss of funds, reputation and esteem in the eyes of the society.
“I m happy with the judgement. I have been vindicated and to God alone be the glory. As we speak, I m consulting my lawyers and I may be seeking redress for all that I went through while the case lasted. I suffered a lot emotional, financially and my reputation was called to question. These are issues that may not just be swept under the carpet now that my innocence has been proven by the Supreme Court,” Umeh said.
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