“Turaki Not Acquitted”, Finally, EFCC Reacts as Court Strikes Out N36bn Fraud Case Against Powerful Ex-Gov
- The recent court ruling served in favour of the former governor of Jigawa state, Saminu Turaki, was not well received by the EFCC
- In a statement issued on his Twitter page on Friday, October 14, the anti-graft agency faulted the Federal High Court judgement in Dutse, the state capital of Jigawa
- The commission maintained that although Turaki is discharged by the court but is not free of all charges yet
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that the former governor of Jigawa state, Saminu Turaki, has not been acquitted of charges over alleged N36 billion fraud.
The anti-graft agency, in a statement on Friday, October 14, via its Twitter page, said the Thursday, October 13 ruling of the Federal High Court, Dutse, did not amount to an acquittal.
Source: Twitter
EFCC reveals its position on the court's ruling.
Delivering a ruling, Justice Hassan Dikko, struck out the case for want in diligent prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
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Mr Dikko also discharged Mr Turaki and ordered the EFCC to do the needful when they are ready to proceed with the case.
Reacting, the commission expressed shock over the court's judgment noting it does not amount to an "acquittal."
Part of the statement by the EFCC reads:
"The October 13, 2022 ruling of the Federal High Court Dutse, striking out the money laundering charges brought against Saminu Turaki, a former governor of Jigawa State by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC does not amount to an acquittal.
"This clarification became imperative in view of widespread media reports purporting that the former governor had been discharged and acquitted of the charges preferred against him by the Commission.
"The Commission considers this ruling another unfortunate hiatus in the 15 years trial and will certainly return to court to conclude this case. Most of the delays that hallmark this trial had been at the instance of the defendant.
"Against this background, it is shocking that a case of such magnitude was dismissed."
EFCC falls as court frees powerful senator from its net after 15 years
Legit.ng reported earlier that Senator Ibrahim Saminu Turaki has been discharged and acquitted of N8.3bn corruption charges against him, preferred by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Turaki and 3 other companies who had been standing trial since May 4, 2007, in a suit by the EFCC on 33 count charges, were freed by a federal high court in Dutse, the Jigawa state capital, on Thursday, October 13.
The EFCC had arraigned the former governor before Justice Binta Nyako of the high court at the federal capital territory on July 13, 2007.
2023: APC in trouble as Turaki, Lamido team up in Jigawa, reveal next line of action
Two former governors of Jigawa state, Saminu Turaki and Sule Lamido have resolved to work together to dislodge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from office in 2023.
It was reported that Turaki dropped the hint shortly after a meeting with the Jigawa People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s caucus at his Kano office where he refuted media reports that he had defected to the PDP from APC, saying he had never been an APC member.
He said he was one of the PDP’s senatorial aspirants in the 2019 general elections, saying he had to step down following his inability to present himself for screening as a result of the journey he made out of the country.
Source: Legit.ng
