An Abuja high court has dismissed the N40 billion Fraud case instituted against the former speaker of the House of Representatives and his deputy, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Suleiman Belgore today dismissed the corruption charges brought against them on grounds that the prosecution had no sufficient case against the accused.
Justice Belgore told the court that the actions of the former Speaker of the House accused of using the accounts of the House to obtain loans used for increased allowances were morally wrong but not criminal.
He ruled on a preliminary objection filed by Bankole and Nafada to have the case against them quashed.
Justice Suleiman Belgore had set today for the ruling on January 24 after admitting the response by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the no-case-submission made by the two ex-principal lawmakers.
{pullquote}Justice Belgore told the court that the actions ...were morally wrong but not criminal.{/pullquote}
EFCC counsel Festus Keyamo had in the reply argued that there is sufficient prima facie case to warrant the trial of the accused persons.
Bankole and Nafada, who were arraigned in June by the EFCC for alleged conspiracy and misappropriation of N40 billion through bank loans for purposes of increasing the running costs of members of the House of Representatives between August 2010 and May 2011, were also alleged to have done so without approval of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
Prosecution is indicating interest in filing an appeal on the judgment.
Meanwhile, hundreds of loyalists and friends of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole thronged the Abeokuta, Ogun state family house to celebrate the victory.
Similarly, father of the former Speaker, Chief Alani Bankole asserted that he was confident that his son would be vindicated.
At the family house of the Speaker which was located at Onikolobo area of Abeokuta South Local Government of Ogun State, friends, loyalists and supporters thronged the well-expanse compound to give praises to almighty Allah for vindicating their own.
The senior Bankole said that he was sure that the trial of his son was political, hence the assurance that he would come out unscathed.
DailyTrust