The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it will appeal
Thursday’s acquittal of a former Governor of Adamawa, Bala Ngilari,
by the Court of Appeal.
In a statement on Friday, spokesman of the commission, Mr Wilson
Uwujaren, described the ruling as “a travesty of justice’’.
An Adamawa High Court in Yola had on March 6 sentenced Ngilari
to five years imprisonment after he was convicted of a five-count
charge of corruption.
He was found guilty of not following due process in the purchase
of 25 vehicles at the cost of N169m.
But, the conviction was overturned by the Yola division of the
appellate court on the ground that the charges against the former
governor lacked merit and sufficient proof.
It would be recalled that Ngilari secured a suspicious bail
after his conviction on the basis of a letter that cited his poor
health condition.
The EFCC spokesman said the emergence of the letter was shrouded
in suspicion and controversy as the Controller of the Nigeria
Prison Service, Adamawa Command, reportedly expressed ignorance of
the letter.
This subsequently incurred the wrath of the authorities at the
prison, which issued query to officials involved, according to
Uwujaren.
He said, “Pundits consider the decision of the Appellate Court,
which was read by Justice Folashade Omoleye, as shocking, and the
last thing needed by the current war against corruption being
spearheaded President Muhammadu Buhari.
“It is curious that Justice Omoleye, while delivering the
ruling, alluded to the fact that Ngilari was not ‘a procurement
entity’ and as such, a former governor could not be charged ‘as if
he was an ordinary procurement officer’.
“The commission has therefore resolved to appeal the ruling
because the EFCC believes that the judgment is a travesty of
justice”.
(NAN)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it will appeal
Thursday’s acquittal of a former Governor of Adamawa, Bala Ngilari,
by the Court of Appeal.
In a statement on Friday, spokesman of the commission, Mr Wilson
Uwujaren, described the ruling as “a travesty of justice’’.
An Adamawa High Court in Yola had on March 6 sentenced Ngilari
to five years imprisonment after he was convicted of a five-count
charge of corruption.
He was found guilty of not following due process in the purchase
of 25 vehicles at the cost of N169m.
But, the conviction was overturned by the Yola division of the
appellate court on the ground that the charges against the former
governor lacked merit and sufficient proof.
It would be recalled that Ngilari secured a suspicious bail
after his conviction on the basis of a letter that cited his poor
health condition.
The EFCC spokesman said the emergence of the letter was shrouded
in suspicion and controversy as the Controller of the Nigeria
Prison Service, Adamawa Command, reportedly expressed ignorance of
the letter.
This subsequently incurred the wrath of the authorities at the
prison, which issued query to officials involved, according to
Uwujaren.
He said, “Pundits consider the decision of the Appellate Court,
which was read by Justice Folashade Omoleye, as shocking, and the
last thing needed by the current war against corruption being
spearheaded President Muhammadu Buhari.
“It is curious that Justice Omoleye, while delivering the
ruling, alluded to the fact that Ngilari was not ‘a procurement
entity’ and as such, a former governor could not be charged ‘as if
he was an ordinary procurement officer’.
“The commission has therefore resolved to appeal the ruling
because the EFCC believes that the judgment is a travesty of
justice”.
(NAN)
Read more https://nairalaw.com/efcc-to-appeal-acquittal-of-adamawa-ex-gov-ngilari/