NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, on Thursday, has discharged Hon. Gbenga Makanjuola and Kolawole Shittu, both former aides to former Nigerian Senate President Bukola Saraki, of N3.5 billion fraud.
Speaking with journalists after the ruling, Makanjuola, who was accused of fraud alongside two other defendants expressed relief and gratitude to God Almighty.
“To God be the glory, I have been vindicated”, he said. “It’s been a tough journey for me for almost eight years, but at the end of the day, I just want to thank God for seeing me through”.
He praised the court’s decision, citing a recent Supreme Court judgment that deemed the funds in question to be a source of legitimate and valid commercial transactions.
“The court confirmed that with the Supreme Court judgement, the criminal charges cannot proceed again, and that’s the end of it”, he said.
Hon. Makanjuola and Kolawole Shittu were represented by two learned Senior Advocates, Mr. Paul Erokoro SAN, and Mr. Ojukwu, SAN, respectively, who led other lawyers. The third defendant was represented by Mr. Wale Adewumi Esq. and his colleagues.
It would be recalled that In 2018, the EFCC arraigned Makanjuola and three other defendants before the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on charges bordering on conspiracy, money laundering, and payment of funds without going through financial institutions.
During their arraignment, the EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Iheanacho, alleged that the three defendants, including Melrose General Services Limited and Robert Chidozie Mbonu (now at large), conspired to disguise the origin of N3.5 billion paid into Melrose General Services Limited’s Access Bank account in December 2016.
Iheanacho further alleged that Melrose General Services, Obiora Amobi, the operation manager, made a cash payment of N300 million to Robert Mbonu from the N3.5 billion without going through a financial institution.
Additionally, it was alleged that Makanjuola, Saraki’s Deputy Chief of Staff, and Kolawole Shittu, a Cashier in the Senate President’s office, made cash payments of $500,000 without using a financial institution in December 2016.
The EFCC claimed that these offences violated the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, and were punishable under the same act.