Court acquits Jonathan’s former aide of N1.6bn fraud

Goodluck Jonathan former aide Waripamo-Owei Dudafa

The Federal High Court in Lagos has discharged and acquitted a former Senior Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, accused of N1.6 billion fraud.

Justice Mohammed Idris, in his judgement on Thursday, also set free a banker, Joseph Iwuejo, who was named in the charge.

[ads]

They have been standing trial since 2016.

Idris said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to prove the charges against them beyond reasonable doubts.

The judge said the failure of the EFCC to call key witnesses like Mr Jonathan, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, among others, contributed in the commission’s inability to prove its case.

He also said EFCC built its case on suspicion which was not enough to secure conviction.

[ads]

According to him, the EFCC did not conclude investigation before rushing to court.

The judge dismissed the 22 counts against Dudafa and Iwuejo and acquitted them.