Posted by From Agaju Madugba in Kaduna on
A Kaduna Federal High Court weekend discharged and acquited two of the former managers of All States Trust Bank Plc in the N2.6 billion money laundering and conspiracy charges which initially included Plateau State Governor, Chief Joshua Dariye, and instituted by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
A Kaduna Federal High Court weekend discharged and acquited two of the former managers of All States Trust Bank Plc in the N2.6 billion money laundering and conspiracy charges which initially included Plateau State Governor, Chief Joshua Dariye, and instituted by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The bankers are Mr. Lawson Omokhodion, a former executive director at the bank and currently Managing Director of Liberty Bank Plc, and Mr. Duate Iyabi, former Managing Director of All States Trust Bank and currently Managing Director of Trust Bank.
EFCC has accused them of complicity in the opening of an account for Dariye's company, Ebenezer Retnam Ventures, without verifying the identity of the company.
But, ruling on a no case submission by the defence counsels, Justice Abdullahi Liman, said prosecution failed to prove the involvement of the accused persons in the conspiracy theory.
According to Liman, "the prosecution also failed to substantiate that the money with which the payments was made was unlawfully disbursed. The prosecution has not been able to say how these disbursements constituted misappropriation and Dariye was not called.
"No prima facie case has been proved in respect of the charges, I therefore discharge and acquit the accused per sons," he said.
However, the court contended that two other bank chiefs, Awe Odessa, a former deputy general manager (North) at All States Trust Bank, and currently deputy general manager of Liberty Bank, and Adonye Roberts, an officer at All States Trust Bank, will answer the two-count charge punishable under sections 16, 15 and 5 (1) (f) of the Money Laundering Decree Number 3 of 1995 as amended by the Tribunals (Certain consequential amendments, etc) Decree No. 62 of 1999.