On Monday, a Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed and acquitted former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs Kabiru Turaki of money laundering charges.
In a judgement on the defence’s no-case motion, Justice Inyang Ekwo stated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had failed to link Mr Turaki and his co-defendants to the laundering charges charged in the 16-count accusation.
He stated that the prosecution’s case against them could not be proven prima facie.
During cross-examination, the defendants removed all of the evidence of the prosecution witnesses summoned in the case, according to Justice Ekwo, who described the EFCC’s 12 witnesses as “tainted witnesses”.
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The judge stated that the cross-examination proved that Mr Turaki was not a signatory to the ministry’s account and did not authorize any payment or transfer of monies.
He agreed with the reasoning that the former minister was not a member of the Ministerial Tender Board and that no monies were transferred from the ministry’s account to Turaki’s firm.
According to reports, the EFCC accused the ex-minister and others in a 16-count indictment of illegal and criminal misuse of N715 million.
Who is Kabiru Tanimu Turaki
Kabiru Tanimu Turaki is a senior advocate of Nigeria, a former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, a former supervising Minister, Ministry of Labour, having served from 2013–201 and the current Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party former Ministers’ Forum of Nigeria.
He is a practising lawyer and politician who ran for governor of Kebbi state three times. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the People’s Democratic Party.
