A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday dismissed a two-count charge of laundering $140,000 against Abdullahi Babalele son-in-law of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke threw out the charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the ground of wrong venue, adding that the alleged offence was committed in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
The judge said he relied on the Supreme Court’s decision in a case between the EFCC and Mohammed Belgore on territorial jurisdiction.
EFCC arraigned Mr Babalele in 2018 and then re-arraigned him on October 8, 2019. He pleaded not guilty on each occasion.
Babalele was accused of giving former President Olusegun Obasanjo $140,000 on the instruction of Atiku who was vying for the office of president in 2019.
At the last hearing on December 7, Babalele’s counsel Mike Ozekhome filed a no-case submission praying the court to dismiss the charge.
