Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, March 28, discharged and acquitted a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki, of money laundering charges.
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The judge in a ruling on the no-case submission filed by the defense said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had failed to link Turaki and his co-defendants with the offenses contained in the 16-count charge.
He said that the prosecution could not establish a prima facie case against them. Justice Ekwo said that the defendants dislodged all the evidence of the prosecution witnesses called in the matter during cross-examination, describing the 12 witnesses relied on by EFCC as “tainted witnesses.”
The judge said that it was established during cross-examination that Turaki was not a signatory to the account of the ministry and did not authorize any payment or make any transfer of funds.
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He averred with the argument that held the former minister was not a member of the Ministerial Tender Board and that there was no inflow of funds from the account of the ministry to Turaki’s company.
The EFCC had, in the 16-count charge, accused the ex-minister and others of unlawful and criminal misappropriation of N715 million.
(C)ControlTV2022.
