The Appellate Court sitting in Abuja has acquitted Sule Lamido, former Governor of Jigawa State, and his two sons, of N712 million money laundering allegation.
The court, in a judgment delivered on Tuesday, held that the no-case submission filed by the defendants was meritorious.
Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Lamido and two of his sons – Aminu and Mustapha in 2015 with 37 amended charges bordering on money laundering.
Other defendants in the case are Aminu Abubakar, business associate to Lamido, and four companies – Bamaina Company Nigeria Limited, Bamaina Aluminium Limited, Speeds International Limited and Batholomew Darlington Agoha.
The anti-graft agency had called 16 witnesses before closing its case in 2022.
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However, rather than open their defence, the defendants filed a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution had not placed sufficient materials before the court to warrant such.
Ijeoma Ojukwu, the Presiding Judge, dismissed the no-case submission on September 20, 2022, however, the defendants appealed the ruling.
Giving the ruling, the appellate court led by Adamu Waziri held that the trial court ought not to have heard the suit since the offence committed was not within its territorial jurisdiction.
According to the Appeal Court, the case should have been filed in Jigawa State where the offences were allegedly committed.
He, therefore, discharged Lamido and his sons.
