Reprieve
came the way of Nigeria’s former Number 4 citizen, Rt Hon. Dimeji
Bankole on Friday as a Federal High Court in Abuja discharged and
acquitted him on charges bordering on fraud and abuse of office.
Justice
Evoh Chukwu, in a ruling on a no-case submission by Bankole, held that
the EFCC “failed woefully” to establish a prima facie case against the
ex-Speaker in the N874million contract fraud charge against him.
In
the ruling that lasted about 2 hours, Justice Chukwu held that the
prosecution led by Festus Keymo failed to make out a case against the
accused person.
According to the Judge: The prosecution failed to
link the ex-Speaker to all the alleged offences, particularly when it
was unable to establish that Bankole was the House of Reps Accounting
Officer who handled its contract transactions or that he was involved in
contract inflation, contract fraud and bid rigging.
On hearing the judgement, Hon Bankole, dressed in white native attire, succumbed to emotion and wept…
The EFCC had in 2011 filed a 16-count charge against Bankole, and on which basis he was later arraigned.
Bankole pleaded not guilty to the charge.
“In
the end, the no-case submission of the accused person succeeds. The
accused is hereby discharged and acquitted,” the Judge ruled and retired
to his chamber.
As Bankole tried to put his cap on his head, tears flowed freely from his eyes, wiping the tears with his hand.
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