Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, has expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision to uphold his no-case submission against the charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In a statement titled “I have been vindicated,” issued shortly after the court ruling, Adoke lauded the judgment.
A Federal High Court in Abuja discharged and acquitted Adoke of money laundering charges filed against him by the EFCC. Presiding judge Justice Inyang Ekwo stated, “I find that there is no evidence to prove the alleged offences against the first defendant (Adoke).”
The charges alleged that Adoke accepted a cash payment equivalent to N300 million in dollars from Aliyu Abubakar in August 2013 in Abuja, an action punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as amended.
Adoke, in his statement, emphasized the ordeal he endured for over nine years, attributing it to what he described as the prosecution’s pursuit of narrow political interests. He asserted that the trial became a political witch hunt aimed at implicating him in corruption charges related to the implementation of the 2006 Settlement Agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria and Malabu Oil & Gas Limited over the disputed ownership of OPL 245.
The former AGF highlighted the impact of the case on his livelihood as a lawyer and arbitrator since 2016, as well as its effect on his personal life and reputation. Despite the challenges, Adoke expressed gratitude for his good health and the support of friends.
Looking ahead, Adoke mentioned the option of pursuing legal action against the Nigerian state and those involved in his ordeal. He left the judgment of his detractors to their conscience and posterity while reaffirming his faith in Nigeria’s progress and pledging to continue contributing to the country’s development.
