Adoke and a property developer, Abubakar Aliyu in 2017, were dragged to court by EFCC for allegedly laundering about N300 million
By Kehinde Okeowo
A former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Mohammed Bello Adoke, has been discharged and acquitted of charges bothering on money laundering by an Abuja Federal High Court.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, while giving the verdict, upheld Adoke’s “no case” submission against the money laundering charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The anti-graft agency in 2017, dragged Adoke and Abubakar Aliyu, a property developer, to court for allegedly laundering about N300 million.
Although there was no mention of the OPL 245 transaction in this case, the same particulars were also charged by the EFCC before Justice Abubakar Kutigi of the FCT high court in 2020.
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According to the financial crime agency though the money was obtained in form of a mortgage from Unity Bank, it was a proceed of a bribe from the sale of the oil block by Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd in 2011.
On March 28, 2024, Justice Kutigi pointed out the contradiction while dismissing the charges against Adoke and other defendants, chiding the EFCC for wasting the court’s time for four years.
In his own ruling on Friday morning, Justice Ekwo said the EFCC did not provide any evidence to prove the essential elements of the offence against Adoke, who was listed as the first defendant.
He upheld the no-case submission while discharging and acquitting him of the charges.
The judge, however, ruled that Aliyu, the second defendant, has to open his defence because he has a case to answer.