Court acquits Bankole, Nafada of fraud charges

Former Speaker House of Representatives Dimeji Bankole and his ex-Deputy Bayero Nafada have been acquitted of corruption allegations by an Abuja High Court.In the judgement yesterday, Justice Suleiman Belgore held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to make a prima facie case against Bankole and Nafada.He therefore discharged and acquitted them saying they have no case to answer.Bankole had on January 23 filed a no-case-submission through his counsel Wale Akanni arguing that their actions were taken as the House's principal officials and in its collective interest and did not constitute an offence.But in his reply, counsel to the EFCC, Festus Keyamo argued that the principal officials acted without approval of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RFMAC).On this the judge held conclusively that, 'there was no contravention of any financial regulations by the two accused persons and no prima facie case has been established against them. I find considerable merit in this 'no-case-submission' by the defence.'The two ex-principal House officials, who were arraigned in June, 2011 on a 17 counts charge bordering on conspiracy and felony over alleged misappropriation of N40 billion through bank loans for purposes of increases in remunerations and running costs for members between August 2010 and May 2011, had maintained their innocence.The anti-graft agency presented witnesses from RMAFC, the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the National Assembly and the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and First Bank Plc, to prove that the disbursements were not through the approval of the relevant authority.On this also, the judge overruled the EFCC saying the National Assembly, being an independent arm of government not in the category of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), does not need the approval of the executive to increase its running costs.The judge declined to enter a case of criminal liability on breach of trust against the former speaker and his deputy on the grounds that they were not entrusted with the accounts of the House.Commenting after the ruling, Keyamo said: 'We are totally dissatisfied with the ruling. We await further instructions from our client, the EFCC to go on appeal. You cannot tell me that an arm of government can sit down and just increase their budget and remunerations without approval.
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