The Federal High Court in Abuja has discharged and acquitted former Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, of alleged N570 million money laundering charges filed against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Trial judge, Justice James Omotosho, upheld the no-case submissions filed by Oyo-Ita and eight co-defendants, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case after about six years of trial.
‘Case Built on Speculation’
Delivering judgment, the court held that the EFCC’s case lacked substance.
“The case presented by the prosecution has no weight whatsoever,” the judge ruled, describing it as one built on “speculations, suspicions and shoddy investigation.”
Justice Omotosho further stated that the prosecution failed to establish the required predicate offences necessary to prove money laundering.
No Evidence of Illegality
The court held that there was no proof that funds allegedly linked to Oyo-Ita were proceeds of unlawful activities.
According to the judge, evidence before the court showed that contracts tied to the allegations were properly approved and executed.
He also ruled that estacodes, duty tour allowances, and air tickets referenced in the case were duly authorised.
“There is no proof before the court that estacodes or duty allowances were approved and subsequently collected without the corresponding trips being undertaken,” he said.
Weak Documentation, Missing Evidence
Justice Omotosho faulted the prosecution for failing to provide key documents, including travel approvals, official memos, and audit queries to support its claims.
“The prosecution has, in effect, invited the court to engage in speculation,” he added.
He also noted that Oyo-Ita was neither a director nor a shareholder in the companies allegedly linked to the transactions under investigation.
Confessional Statements Rejected
The court rejected confessional statements allegedly obtained from the defendants, ruling that they were not obtained in compliance with legal provisions.
The judge held that the EFCC failed to provide video recordings of the statement-taking process as required by law and consequently expunged the statements from evidence.
Background
Oyo-Ita was arraigned in March 2020 over allegations bordering on fraud involving duty tour allowances, estacodes, and contract kickbacks amounting to about N570 million.
During the trial, the EFCC called eight witnesses and tendered documentary exhibits. However, the defendants maintained that the prosecution failed to establish any ingredient of the offences to warrant them entering a defence.
With the ruling, the court discharged and acquitted all defendants on the 18-count charge, bringing the long-running case to a close.
