A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos south west Nigeria today Lagos dismissed a $2 million money laundering charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Uyiekpen Giwa-Osagie, a lawyer to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
The court also discharged his brother Erhunse Giwa-Osagie of the same charge.
The lawyer and his brother were re-arraigned last February 23, 2020 on a three-count charge of laundering $2 million in the build up to the last general elections.
The EFCC alleged that sometime in February, 2019, the two men conspired together and committed the offence by making cash payment of $2million without going through a financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorised by law.
During trial, the EFCC testified that sometime in 2019, it received intelligence report that some politicians were moving around with United States dollars to influence the result of the last general elections.
It called two witnesses who testified in favour of its allegation that the $2m was evidence of such activity.
The commission closed its case and prayed the court to order the two defendants to open its defence.
However the defendants opposed the anti-graft agency, arguing among others that they never acted illegally.
They filed a no-case submission praying the court to dismiss the charge.
Ruling on the no case submission, the presiding Judge Chukwjekwu Aneke upheld their’ submissions.
He said, that the EFCC failed to establish that the money was illegal.
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