A Federal High Court in Abuja has cleared former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Andrew Yakubu, of money laundering charges.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed discharged and acquitted Yakubu of the charges on the ground that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Mohammed said that the EFCC had failed to prove that Yakubu received cash payment above five million naira without going through a financial institution.
Yakubu had told the court that the money he was alleged to have laundered was received as gifts from friends and well-wishers after his retirement in 2014.
The Trial Judge said that the EFCC should have required Yakubu to mention the names of the donors and possibly invite them for questioning.