The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the suit brought against the former Director General of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Modibbo Ishak Kawu, Pinnacle Communications Limited and two others in the alleged misapplication of N2.5 billion Federal Government Digital Switch-Over (DSO) programme.
Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo in a judgment on Thursday, discharged and acquitted the defendants of the five counts of fraud, brought against them by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The trial Court dismissed the suit on the grounds that the Prosecution failed to prove the allegations of fraud leveled against the defendants.
Justice Ogunbanjo while delivering judgment on the matter, also held that the statements and evidences of the witnesses produced by ICPC could not pin any allegation on the defendants.
Justice Ogunbanjo further held that some of the witnesses contradicted themselves, and none of their statements was able to link the defendants to the charge.
According to the Judge, while some of the witnesses in their oral evidence, said the former Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed was misled in approving the payment of N2.5 billion to Pinnacle Communications Ltd, they failed to render any documentary evidence.
The trial of the former Director-General of the NBC and others, which began in 2019, lasted for six years.
They were prosecuted by the ICPC, on a five count amended charge over the release of 2.5bn to Pinnacle Communications Ltd, under the approval of former Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed.
ICPC had initially filed a 12-count charge, against Kawu, Lucky Omoluwa and Dipo Onifade who is the Chairman and the Chief Operating Officer of Pinnacle Communications Limited respectively, in which it had claimed that the NBC Director-General misled the former Minister into approving government funds to be paid to a private company, a position that the Court has now found not to correct.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
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