A Federal High Court sitting in Kano on Friday discharged and acquitted a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Aminu Wali, over allegation of laundering N950 million.
The court also discharged and acquitted on the same charge, Mr. Mansur Ahmad, the Kano State Campaign Coordinator to former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Wali was arraigned in May 2018 alongside Ahmad and a former Governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).They were accused of collecting N950 million cash which contravenes the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that the defendants had on March 27, 2015 collected cash payment of N950 million from Mrs Nenadi Usman, Director of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2015 Presidential Campaign Group.
It said that the offence contravened Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering Act 2011, and was punishable under Section 16 (2) (b) of the same Act.
Justice Lewis Allagoa, while delivering judgment, said that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the transaction did not follow financial institution rules.
Allagoa said that the prosecution evidence showed that the defendants collected the money but failed to prove beyond reasonable that it did not pass through financial institutions.
The judge, therefore, discharged and acquitted the defendants.
The court had earlier discharged Ibrahim Shekarau of the charge.
