Olamilekan Okeowo
- To file appeal
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has described as “a travesty of justice” the recent acquittal of a former Governor of Adamawa, Bala Ngilari, by the Court of Appeal.
The anti graft organization therefore says it will appeal the acquittal.
In a statement on Friday, spokesman of the commission, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, described the ruling as “a travesty of justice’’.
An Adamawa High Court in Yola had on March 6 sentenced Ngilari to five years imprisonment after he was convicted of a five-count charge of corruption.
He was found guilty of not following due process in the purchase of 25 vehicles at the cost of N169 million.
But, the conviction was overturned by the Yola division of the appellate court on the ground that the charges against the former governor lacked merit and sufficient proof.
It would be recalled that Ngilari secured a suspicious bail after his conviction on the basis of a letter that cited his poor health condition.
The EFCC spokesman said the emergence of the letter was shrouded in suspicion and controversy as the Controller of the Nigeria Prison Service, Adamawa Command, reportedly expressed ignorance of the letter.
This subsequently incurred the wrath of the authorities at the prison, which issued query to officials involved, according to Uwujaren.
He said, “Pundits consider the decision of the Appellate Court, which was read by Justice Folashade Omoleye, as shocking, and the last thing needed by the current war against corruption being spearheaded President Muhammadu Buhari.
“It is curious that Justice Omoleye, while delivering the ruling, alluded to the fact that Ngilari was not ‘a procurement entity’ and as such, a former governor could not be charged ‘as if he was an ordinary procurement officer’.
“The commission has therefore resolved to appeal the ruling because the EFCC believes that the judgment is a travesty of justice”.
Meanwhile The Former Governor of Adamawa State, H.E. Hon. James Bala Ngilari was discharged and acquitted by the Appeal Court in Yola.
This development has once again, affirmed our earlier position that the Anti-Corruption War of this failed administration of the APC is a vendetta targeted at former PDP leaders and members and other perceived enemies of the Government.
The APC led Administration is hell-bent on hounding and grounding opposition by intimidating perceived enemies to cover up for its failures and maladministration.
The ‘APC Anti-Corruption War’ is a disaster and the Government itself is a complete failure: clueless, visionless and directionless.
To all our teeming members and supporters nationwide to remain steadfast with the PDP as we work to salvage the Country from the clutches of the APC marauders.
