A FEDERAL High Court sitting in Abuja has discharged Hon. Gbenga Makanjuola and Kolawole Shittu, both former aides to former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, of N3.5billion fraud.
Speaking with journalists after the ruling, Makanjuola, who was accused of fraud alongside two others, expressed relief and gratitude to God over the outcome of the suit filed against him.
“To God be the glory, I have been vindicated. It’s been a tough journey for me for almost eight years, but at the end of the day, I just want to thank God for seeing me through,” Makanjuola said.
He praised the court’s decision, citing a recent Supreme Court judgement that deemed the funds in question to be a source of legitimate and valid commercial transaction.
“The court confirmed that with the Supreme Court judgement, the criminal charges cannot proceed again, and that’s the end of it,” he said.
Makanjuola and Shittu were represented by Mr. Paul Erokoro (SAN) and Mr. Ojukwu (SAN), respectively, who led other lawyers.
The third defendant was represented by Mr. Wale Adewumi Esq and his colleagues.
This newspaper recalls that in 2018, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Makanjuola and three others before the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on charges bordering on conspiracy, money laundering and payment of funds without going through financial institutions.
During their arraignment, the EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Iheanacho, alleged that the defendants, including Melrose General Services Limited and Robert Chidozie Mbonu (now at large), conspired to disguise the origin of N3.5 billion paid into Melrose General Services Limited’s Access Bank account in December 2016.
Iheanacho further alleged that Melrose General Services, Obiora Amobi, the operation manager, made a cash payment of N300 million to Robert Mbonu from the N3.5 billion without going through a financial institution.
Additionally, it was alleged that Makanjuola, Saraki’s Deputy Chief of Staff at the time, and Kolawole Shittu, a cashier in the Senate President’s office, made cash payments of $500,000 without using a financial institution in December 2016.
The EFCC claimed that the offences violated the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, and were punishable under the same Act.
The defendants pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of N250m each with two sureties.
The defendants in 2020 challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the criminal charges, same being an invalid charge which violates the principles of law. The court, having listened to arguments of both parties, struck out the case based on an invalid and improper charges.
However, in January, 2021, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), re-filed the criminal charges against the defendants at Federal High Court, Abuja.
In May 2024, they were rearraigned before Hon. Justice P.O. Lifu after the third amended charges bordering on conspiracy, accepting cash payments beyond the threshold and stealing.
The defendants, again, pleaded not guilty, and their counsels made applications for bail, which were granted.