A Nigerian Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has discharged and acquitted the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, of charges bordering on fraud to the tune of $8.4 million and N4 billion.
The court also discharged the other members of the NFF, Seyi Akinwunmi 1st Vice President, Shehu Dikko, 2nd Vice President, Mohammed Sanusi, General Secretary and Ahmed Yusuf, Executive Committee member of similar offences.
The report by Channels Television said that the NFF executives were charged with 16 counts of corruption and misappropriation of the said sums from the 2014 FIFA grant, and conflict of interest and non-declaration of assets by the defunct Special Presidential Investigation Panel (SPIP) headed by Okon Obono-Obla.
The report added that Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu dismissed the entire case on Tuesday with all the 16 charges and acquitted the NFF officials after the counsel representing Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice applied to withdraw the charges.
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice took over the case from the office of the SPIP, which originally instituted the case against the defendants.
The counsel stated that it could not proceed with the case as the proof of evidence could not sustain the charges.
According to the report, the counsel to the defendants, Mr. Sani Katu, applied to the court to dismiss the charges and also discharge and acquit the NFF officials.
The judge therefore ruled that she had no option than to discharge and acquit the defendants on all counts.
GIK/APA