JUDICIARY
Court Acquits Pinnick, Four Others Over Alleged $8.4million Corruption Charges
By Orkula Shaagee, Abuja
Chieftains of the Nigeria Football Federation, including its President, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, have been discharged and acquitted on all counts of alleged corruption charges in a case brought by the defunct Special Presidential Investigation Panel, SPIP.
The panel, headed by Okon Obono-Obla who is now on the run to avoid prosecution by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission, ICPC had filed a 16 –count charge against Pinnick, Seyi Akinwunmi (1st Vice President), Shehu Dikko (2nd Vice President), Mohammed Sanusi (General Secretary) and Ahmed Yusuf (Executive Committee member) with wild claims of alleged corruption against the men, and even subjected them to extensive media trial at home and abroad.
Among the charges were misappropriation of the sums of $8.4million and N4billion, conflict of interest and non-declaration of assets.At a point, now-fleeing Obono-Obla wrote to the Confederation of African Football, CAF twisting all the facts with regards to Nigeria’s participation in the CAF Congress of 2015.
Yesterday, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu dismissed the entire case with all 16 charges, and acquitted the NFF chieftains in consideration of the submission of the defence and the prosecution and in line with the rules of administration of criminal justice.
The clean bill is a confirmation of the position of the NFF on all swirling allegations of corruption against its officials. Nigeria’s supreme football –governing body has always insisted that its leaders were being victimized by persons who lost elections through the ballot and were seeking other means to upturn things at Glass House, or disgruntled individuals simply on a mission of vendetta.
Only last month, a motion by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to remove the names of Pinnick and Sanusi from the witnesses’ category and add them to the list of accused persons in a case at the FCT High Court over the same $8.4million FIFA Grant was put on hold after the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation submitted that it was taking over the case with a view to ascertaining its validity, seeing that same persons were being charged spuriously in different courts and/or investigated by several agencies over the same allegations hewed out of petitions by the same individuals.
At the court yesterday, a counsel from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, which had taken over the case, said it could not proceed with the matter as the proof of evidence could not sustain the charges. NFF’s counsel adduced reasons why the charges could not be sustained:
The SPIP Investigation Report dated April 30, 2019 filed in the Honourable Court as Exhibit 7 in the Proof of Evidence and its Findings as contained in page 13 to 21 cleared the NFF officials of all allegations, based on the petition investigated by the Panel.
A review of the certified true copy of the NFF Bank account with the Central Bank of Nigeria found that there was no transaction of N4 billion or any amount whatsoever on November 3, 2018 as alleged in the charges filed by SPIP. It was also found that the total inflow into the said NFF account for the whole of 2018 is far less than N1billion, confirming that the alleged N4billion never existed anywhere in the first instance.
In the circumstances, the Defence Counsel applied to the court to dismiss the charges and also discharge and acquit the NFF chieftains, since the proof of evidence could not sustain the charges. The AGF office counsel did not have any objection to this submission by the defence.
The judge then ruled that in view of these facts, she had no option than to discharge and acquit the defendants on all counts, wondering why the case was brought to the court in the first place.
Defence Counsel, Barrister Sani Katu, put the issues in perspective: “The matter was adjourned till today to allow time for investigation as to whether the defendants should be arraigned or not by the Office of the Attorney General which had taken over the matter. The Office of the Attorney General went and investigated the matter and discovered that the proof of evidence could not sustain the charges. On that basis, the Office of the AGF applied to withdraw the charges and the consequence is that the defendants should be discharged and acquitted from all 16 charges, to which the court agreed.”
A Kano State High Court has restrained the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, from parading himself as a member of the party.
Justice Usman Malam Na’abba, on Wednesday, made the order, following an exparte motion filed by Dr Ibrahim Sa’ad on behalf of two APC executive members of Ganduje ward, Dawakin-Tofa Local Government Area.
The plaintiffs are the party’s Assistant Secretary, Laminu Sani, and its Legal Adviser, Haladu Gwanjo.
The duo are among the nine ward executive members who suspended Ganduje from the party at the ward level, two days ago.
The respondents in the case include, All Progressives Congress (APC), APC National Working Committee (NWC), APC Kano State Working Committee (KSWC), and Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Granting the motion, Na’abba made an order restraining Ganduje from parading himself as APC National Chairman.
The court further made an order directing Ganduje to henceforth, desist from presiding over all affairs of the APC National Working Committee (NWC).
The court directed the respondents to henceforth maintain status quo ante belum as from April 15, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit on April, 30.
Justice Na’abba also granted the plaintiff’s prayer which ordered the APC SWC, from interfering with the legally and validly considered decision of executives of Ganduje ward, essentially on action endorsed by two thirds majority of the executives as provided by the party constitution.
“An order is hereby granted directing all parties in the suit APC (1st), APC National Working Committee (2nd), Kano State Working Committee APC (3rd), Dr. Abdullah Umar Ganduje (4th), to maintain status quo ante belum as of 15th April, 2024.
“The order thereby restraining the 1st respondent (APC) from recognizing the 4th respondent (Ganduje) as member of APC and prohibiting the 4th respondent (Ganduje) from presiding over any affairs of the NWC and restraining the state Working Committee from interfering with the legal and valid decision of the ward executives of Ganduje ward.
“That the 4th respondent (Ganduje) is prohibited from parading himself as member of APC or doing any act that may portray him or seem to be a member of APC, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit”.
It will be recalled that nine members of the Ganduje ward proclaimed the suspension of the National Chairman of APC over the allegation of corruption slammed on him by the Kano state government.
The nine APC executives said they were prompted to act following a petition written by one Ja’afaru Adamu, a member of APC from Ganduje’s polling unit.
In the petition, Adamu made allegations of corruption charges against the former governor just as he urged the ward leaders to investigate the matter to redeem the dented image of the party against the backdrop of President Bola Tinubu’s fight against corruption.
Following the failure of the Ward Chairman and Secretary to act on the petition, nine members of the executives, led by the legal adviser, acted and took the decision that led to the suspension Ganduje. (NAN)
A Jos Magistrates’ Court, on Wednesday, sentenced a 28-year-old businessman, Peter Sunday to one year imprisonment for stealing motor parts valued at N200,000.
The Magistrate, Mr Shawomi Bokkos, summarily sentenced Sunday after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Bokkos, however, gave the convict an option to pay N30,000 and a compensation of N100,000 to the complainant.
The magistrate held that the punishment would serve as deterrent to other would-be offenders.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Labaran Ahmed, told the court that the case was reported on March 19, at the “B” Police station Bukuru by one Stephen Dung, the complainant.
The prosecutor alleged that the convict had trespassed into a mechanic workshop and stole the gearbox.
He told the court that the convict was however, apprehended at the point of his wanting to sell the stolen item.
The offence, according to him, is punishable under the Plateau state Penal Code Law. (NAN)
A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday sentenced a 29-year-old security guard, Harow Mali to three months imprisonment for stealing 25 litres of diesel.
The Judge, Shawomi Bokkos, summarily sentenced Mali after he pleaded guilty.
Bokkos, however, gave the convict an option to pay N10,000 fine.
The judge said the punishment would serve as deterrent to other would-be offenders.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp Labaran Ahmed told the court that the case was reported on March 20, at the “A” Police station Jos by one Yab Sunday, the complainant.
The prosecutor said the convict was caught with the 25 litres of diesel by the Police.
The offence, according to him, is punishable under the Plateau state Penal Code Law. (NAN)
Benue killings: Benue reps frown on incessant attacks on communities, killings of his constituents
Share From Attah Ede, Makurdi The member House of Representatives representing Gwer East/Gwer West Federal Constituency, Arc. Asema Achado, Wednesday,...
Benue killings: Gov Alia Condemns Attack on Communities, Charge Security Agents to Rescue Those in Captive
ShareFrom Attah Ede Makurdi Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, on Wednesday, condemned in strong terms, the recent...
May Day: NLC Seeks Partnership with Anambra Sports Commission
ShareThe Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), says it is planning to hold some sporting events as part of activities marking this...
Illegal Mining: NSCDC Arrests 2 Suspects in Anambra
ShareThe Anambra Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has arrested two suspects for allegedly engaging in...
Nigeria not Ripe for Diaspora Voting – NBA Official
Share Mr Auta Nyada, the Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Legal Education Committee, says Nigeria is not ripe...
PDP NWC passes Vote of Confidence on Damagum
Share The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has passed a Vote of Confidence on the...
No pending Lassa Fever Cases in kaduna—–Official
Share Kaduna State Primary Health Development Agency, (KPHDA) says there is no pending cases of Lassa fever in the state....
Kano High Court Affirms Ganduje’s Suspension
Share A Kano State High Court has restrained the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar...
Adamawa Govt. Earmarks N55.5 bn as 2024 Supplementary Budget
Share The Adamawa Government has approved the sum of N55.5 billion as supplementary budget for the 2024 financial year. Mrs...
Retrenchment Necessitated by Need to Retain Realistic Workforce, says BIPC
Share The Management of the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC) said the recent retrenchment of workers was necessitated...