A Federal High Court, Abuja on Wednesday refused to grant an application file by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to inspect the money seized from the former group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Andrew Yakubu.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed dismissed the request on the grounds that the application lacked merit.
The judge noted that though it was the duty of the court to visit the scene of an event (locus in quo) where there was controversy to clear the doubt if there was any, such decision was at the discretion of the court.
“I find the visit to locus in quo as unnecessary, and the application is hereby refused,” he said.
Justice Mohammed adjourned the matter until March 10 for continuation of cross-examination of the defendant by the prosecution.
The EFCC had on January 14, 2020, urged the court to visit the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kano branch, to inspect the $9.7 million and £74, 000 allegedly recovered from Yakubu’s residence in Kaduna.
Counsel to the anti-graft agency Mohammed Abubakar said the money formed the subject of counts three and four in the money laundering charge on which Yabuku is being tried before the court.
