The Federal Government in a dramatic turn has withdrawn the N2.2 billion fraud charges brought against the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Gambo Ahmed and two other principal staff of the court before an Abuja High Court.
Saleh, Mahmud Sharif and Rilwanu Lawal were billed to be formally arraigned on a nine-count corruption charge before Justice Abba-Bello Mohammed, of a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jabi, but reprieve came their way in a surprising manner when the Federal Government dramatically announced withdrawal of the charges against them.
The prosecutor, Hajara Yusuf, informed the trial Judge, Justice Mohammed that she had been instructed by government to withdraw the charges brought against the three defendants.
The Federal Government counsel did not, however, give reasons for the u-turn of government in withdrawing the charges.
Expectedly, Abdulhakeem Mustapha SAN, counsel representing the Chief Registrar, Tetengi Garba SAN, who stood for Sharif and Sanusi A. O. SAN, who also represented Lawal, did not object to the withdrawal of the charges against their clients.
In his brief ruling, Justice Mohammed struck out the charges in line with the request of the Federal Government.
The Federal Government had on 3 November, 2016 filed a nine-count charge with the number CR/13/2016 against the defendants, who are all staff of the Supreme Court, at the registry of the FCT Judiciary.
According to the charges preferred against them by the government, the Chief Registrar and the two others were alleged to have diverted a sum of N2.2b belonging to the Supreme Court in to their UBA account with number 2027642863 between 2009 and 2016 contrary to Section 96 of the Penal Code Act and punishable under Section 97 Cap 532 of the Code.
They were also alleged to have collected gratification to the tune of N10 million from Willysdave Limited, a contractor with the Supreme Court, between 2009 and 2016 contrary to Section 10 (a) (i) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and punishable under the same section.
