A Federal High Court in Abuja has discharged and acquitted Shamsudeen Bala, the son of the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed charged with laundering about N1.1 billion.
In a judgement on Tuesday, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba held that the prosecution failed to prove its allegations beyond reasonable doubt as required under the law.
Justice Dimgba was of the view that the prosecution failed to thoroughly and credibly dismantle the defendant’s claim that he was under a state of shock and in disarray while making his statements to EFCC’s Investigators.
The judge observed that the defendant’s bank account, which he failed to disclose in his assets declaration form, was being operated by his wife, after their marriage.
He said: “The said account was no longer under his (Bala’s) control but under the control of his wife.
“The prosecution could have thoroughly investigated the claim of the defendant that he acted in a state of shock and disarray when filling the asset declaration form.
“Only the prosecution has the power to dismantle and scientifically investigate the defendant’s claim as to his state of mind during his arrest,” the judge said.
Justice Dimgba had, in an earlier ruling on Bala’s no-case submission, quashed 11 out of 20 counts contained one charge brought against him.
Bala was charged, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) along with four firms – Bird Trust Agro Allied Ltd, Intertrans Global Logistics Ltd, Diakin Telecommunications Ltd and Bal-Vac Mining Ltd.
The EFCC claimed among others, that the firms were used by Bala to launder the over N1.1b.
It alleged that Bala went ahead to acquire houses within high brow areas in Abuja which he paid for in cash, to conceal the stolen funds at his disposal.
The commission also claimed that some of the assets included five plots of land at Asokoro Gardens; House FS 2 B, Green Acre Estate Apo-Dutse, Abuja; House FS 1A, Green Acre Estate, Apo-Dutse; FS 1B, Green Acre Estate, Apo-Dutse, Abuja and House 2A, No. 7, Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja.
