A former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido and others have been discharged and acquitted over alleged money laundering.
A three-member panel of justices led by Justice Adamu Waziri of the Court of Appeal, Abuja on Tuesday held that the Federal High Court in Abuja has no jurisdiction to entertain the case as most of the issues emanated from outside.
A Federal High Court in Abuja had failed to enter a no-case submission filed by the defendants in the matter.
Lamido then approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the ruling of the lower court.
The former governor was arraigned in September 2016 before Justice Adeniyi Ademola on 43-count charge on conspiracy, abuse of office and money laundering valued at N1.351 billion, among others.
Lamido and his two sons Aminu and Mustapha; was charged with his two sons: a former aide, Wada Abubakar and four companies: Baimana Holdings Ltd, Bamaina Company Nigeria Ltd, Bamaina Aluminium Ltd, Speeds International Ltd and Batholomew Darlington Agoha.
The case, which has dragged on for over nine years, suffered a setback after JJustice Adeniyi Ademola retired.
It was re-assigned to Justice Chukwu, who passed away, forcing the matter to be re-assigned to Justice Babatunde Quadri of the court.
Following Justice Quadri’s transfer, the matter was re-assigned to Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu.
The case had to start all over despite the EFCC having called its last witness in the trial.
