Court discharges, acquits ex-AGF Adoke of money laundering

An Abuja Federal High Court has discharged and acquitted a former Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Mohammed Bello Adoke, of money laundering charges.

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, upheld Adoke’s “no case” submission against the money laundering charges against him.

In 2017, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had dragged Adoke and Abubakar Aliyu, a property developer, to court for allegedly laundering about N300 million.

While the EFCC admitted before Ekwo that it was a mortgage that Adoke took from Unity Bank, it alleged before Justice Kutigi that the money was a bribe from the sale of the oil block by Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd in 2011.

On March 28, 2024, Kutigi pointed out the contradiction while dismissing the charges against Adoke and other defendants, chiding the EFCC for wasting the court’s time for four years.

But on Friday, Justice Ekwo said the EFCC did not provide any evidence to prove the essential elements of the offence against Adoke, who was listed as the first defendant.

Ekwo upheld the no-case submission while discharging and acquitting him of the charges.

The judge, however, ruled that Aliyu, the second defendant, has to open his defence because he has a case to answer.