Court acquits former Head of Service in ₦570m fraud case

The Federal High Court in Abuja has cleared former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita of all money laundering charges, bringing an end to a grueling six-year legal battle.

Delivering the ruling on Tuesday, Justice James Omotosho upheld the no-case submissions filed by Oyo-Ita and her eight co-defendants, stating that the prosecution failed to present sufficient evidence to justify a defense.

Justice Omotosho described the case brought forward by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as weak, speculative, and lacking proper investigation.

The defendants had faced an 18-count charge involving the alleged laundering of approximately ₦570 million through contracts, estacodes, and duty tour allowances.

However, the court found no proof that the funds were proceeds of illegal activity, which is an essential requirement for establishing money laundering.

The ruling further noted that Oyo-Ita was neither a director nor a shareholder in the companies linked to the allegations, significantly weakening claims that she controlled or benefited improperly from the accounts.

The court also found no credible evidence that travel allowances were fraudulently claimed or that the official trips in question were not undertaken.

A major blow to the prosecution’s case involved the rejection of key confessional statements. The judge ruled them inadmissible because they did not comply with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, specifically citing the absence of mandatory video recordings during their collection.

Justice Omotosho concluded that the EFCC failed to establish a prima facie case, emphasizing that criminal allegations must be supported by concrete evidence rather than suspicion.