Fresh Headache For Sule Lamido As EFCC Approaches Supreme Court Concerning His Case (DETAILS)

Fresh Headache For Sule Lamido As EFCC Approaches Supreme Court Concerning His Case (DETAILS)

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has taken the case to the Supreme Court to challenge the decision of the appeal court that acquitted former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, of money laundering charges.

The appellate court had discharged Sule Lamido, along with his two sons – Aminu and Mustapha, of the money laundering charges about two weeks ago.

The three of them, along with Aminu Abubakar (an associate of the ex-governor) and four companies – Bamaina Company Nigeria Limited, Bamaina Aluminium Limited, Speeds International Limited, and Batholomew Darlington Agoha – were charged with 37 counts of money laundering in 2015.

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In a statement issued by EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, the commission stated that the court made a legal mistake by acquitting the defendants.

The statement read: “In a notice of appeal filed at the Supreme Court on July 31, 2023, EFCC is requesting the apex court to set aside the entire decision of the appeal court and order a return of the case to the trial court for it to continue and conclude. The grounds for the appeal include the argument that the appellate court made a legal error when it discharged the respondents.”

“Among the four grounds of appeal is the contention by the appellant that the court of appeal made a legal mistake when it held that the case was wrongly commenced in the Abuja division of the federal high court instead of Kano, and as a result, the court struck out the charge and discharged the appellants.”

“In contrast to the decision of the appellate court, the appellant argues that section 98(1) of the ACJA, 2015 gives the chief judge of the federal high court the authority to transfer a case from one court to another if such a transfer would promote justice or be in the interest of public peace.”

“According to the appellant, the record of the appeal or evidence before the lower court indicated that the case was initially filed in the Kano judicial division of the federal high court but was later transferred to Abuja due to security concerns.”