Court dismisses N4.5bn corruption charge against Nnamani

Chimaroke Nnamani, a former governor of Enugu State, has been absolved of corruption charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by a Federal high Court sitting in Lagos. 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had accused Nnamani of laundering N4.5 billion while in office between 1999 and 2007.

He was to be re-arraigned before the court on Tuesday after he was first arraigned in 2007.

During the hearing on Tuesday, Rickey Tarfa, Nnamani’s counsel, informed the court of an application he had filed disclosing the result of the plea agreement, which according to him, led to the institution and determination of the charges against the defendants in July 2015

The lawyer said in view of the plea bargain agreement entered into by parties, there is no longer any valid charge pending before the court as Chuka Obiozor, the judge could not seat on an appeal of the previous one.

The EFCC prosecutor, Kelvin Uzozie, said after looking at the affidavits filed by the defendant, he is of the view that the entire proceedings should be expunged to enable the prosecution file fresh charges against the defendant.

In his ruling, Obiozor held that “in view of the plea bargain judgment of this court delivered on the 7th of July, 2015, there is no valid charge before his court”.