Waripamo Owei-Dudafa, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, was on Thursday discharged and acquitted by a Federal High Court Sitting in Lagos on an alleged N1.6billion fraud charge.
In a 190-page judgment, the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to prove any of the 22-charge beyond reasonable doubt against accused and a Heritage Bank staff, Joseph Iwejuo.
According to the judge, EFCC’s case was “based on suspicions” and suspicions “cannot take the place of legal evidence.”
He further ruled that the failure of the anti-crime agency to call vital witnesses, like ex-president Jonathan, former NSA Sambo Dasuki, and even the CBN governor, was fatal to the case against the suspects.
Other defects in the EFCC’s case highlighted by the judge was the inability to summon a particular vital witness, Sompre Omeibi, who could have linked the defendants to the offences to testify.
Justice Idris subsequently held that the prosecution failed to carry out a proper investigation as the EFCC did not conclude its investigation before rushing to court, thereby leaving loopholes.
He, therefore, dismissed the entire 22 counts charge against Dudafa and Iwuejo.
It will be recalled that the EFCC had accused the defendants of concealing the sum of N1.6billion through a company, Seagate Property Development and Investment Limited, an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 17(a).
They also accused them of knowingly concealing proceeds of crime through Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited amounting to N399,470,000.00, among others.
Dudafa and Iwuejo had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
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