Court Acquits Ex-Taraba Gov Of Fraud, Orders EFCC To Pay Him N228m Within 72-Hour

A Federal High Court, sitting in Jalingo Taraba State, has cleared Sani Abubakar Danladi, former acting Governor and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State, of alleged fraud.

The court also discharged and acquitted Joel Ikenya, a former Minister of Labour and Productivity, and Mark Bako Useni, former Speaker of Taraba State House of Assembly.

However, the court slammed Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) a 72-hour ultimatum to refund the sum of N228million to the defendants.

The EFCC had approached the court to try the trio on alleged fraud involving N450million.

But ruling on the case, Justice Stephen Pam held that the EFCC lacked merit and ordered the anti-graft agency to refund N228million, which was earlier remitted to the commission by the defendants.

The judge maintained that the EFCC could not substantiate its evidence against the defendants, and urged the commission to desist from infringing on the rights of innocent citizens.