By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
Finally, the Senator who represented Delta North Senatorial District in the 9th Assembly, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, has regained his freedom from Ikoyi prison in Lagos as the Supreme Court in Abuja on Friday quashed his conviction of seven years imprisonment slammed on him by the Appeal Court, Lagos division over alleged offences bordering on fraud and money laundering.
Senator Peter Nwaoboshi was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside his two companies before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for the said alleged offences of fraud and money laundering to the tune of N805 million. At the end of the trial, he was discharged and acquitted by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court.
Dissatisfied with the judgement, the EFCC filed an appeal and secured his conviction. The Appellate court set aside Nwoboshi ‘s acquittal by the lower court, tried him and found him guilty of the offence. The Appellate court sentenced him to seven years imprisonment.
In order to still prove his innocence, Nwaoboshi headed to Supreme Court.
Delivering judgement on Friday, the Supreme Court freed Senator Nwaoboshi and also freed the two companies, Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd and Suiming Electrical Ltd, tried alongside the former lawmaker on a two-count charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The apex court consequently ordered his immediate release from Ikoyi Custodial Centre in Lagos, where he is currently being held.
In a split decision of four-to-one, the Supreme Court set aside the July 1, 2022 judgement of the Court of Appeal, Lagos, which had reversed their earlier discharge and acquittal by a Federal High Court in Lagos.
In a lead judgement by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the Apex Court held that Nwaoboshi and his two companies were unjustly and maliciously prosecuted by the EFCC for committing no offence known to the law, and subjected them to a criminal trial in relation to the civil transaction, needlessly.
The EFCC had accused Nwaoboshi and his companies of illegally acquiring a property named Guinea House on Marine Road, in Apapa, Lagos, for N805 million, the property said to belong to the Delta State Government.
They had claimed that part of the money paid for the property was transferred by Suiming Electrical Ltd on behalf of Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd, adding that the funds were believed to be proceeds of their illicit activities.