Court Acquits Ex- NBA President, Usoro Of N1.4b Money Laundering Charge

JUSTICE Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday, discharged and acquitted the immediate past President of the Nigerian Bar Association ( NBA), Paul Usoro ( SAN) of the N1.4 billion money laundering charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC).

The judge held that the antigraft agency failed to establish any prima facie case against Usoro that could warrant him to enter a defence.

The judge made the decision while ruling on Usoro’s “no case” submission.

He noted that the penal code, under which the NBA chieftain was charged, is not applicable to southern states, i. e Lagos and Akwa Ibom, which were said to be the locations of the alleged offences.

“On the whole, I hold that the prosecution has failed to establish any prima facie case. Accordingly, the defendant is hereby discharged and acquitted,” Justice Aikawa held.