The Federal High
Court in Jos has discharged a senator, Danjuma Goje, of the corruption charges
filed against him.
This came after the
office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) applied for the
withdrawal of the charges on Friday.
Mr Goje was being
prosecuted by the anti-graft agency, EFCC, for allegedly mismanaging funds of
his home Gombe State when he was the governor there.
PREMIUM TIMES
reported how the EFCC withdrew from the matter when Mr Goje agreed to step down
for Ahmed Lawan as Senate President.
According to Daily
Trust newspaper, an official from the AGF’s office, Pius Akutah, told the court
that he has an application to withdraw the charges against Mr Goje on Friday.
“My Lord, we have an
application having taken over the case and reviewed the 21 count charges of no
submission and by the ruling of this court quashed 19 leaving only two count
charges in which they are to enter defence.
“As it is, the Federal
Ministry of Justice wishes to withdraw those two charges against the accused
persons This action is in line with the power vested on the AGF by virtue of
section 128 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 particularly sub
section 1 of that section (128).”
“It’s in accordance
with the power vested on the AGF by the constitution that we wish to withdraw
the charges before your Lordship. This is our humble application and urge your
Lordship to grant our application,” the official was quoted as saying.
Mr Goje’s counsel,
Adeniyi Akintola, did not oppose the application.
In his ruling,
Justice Babatunde Quadri reportedly said pursuant to Section 174(1)
particularly sub-section (b) and coupled with Section 108 (2) of 2015, “the
application by the AGF to withdraw the charges is hereby granted.”
“The accused persons
are hereby discharged,” he said.
Source: Premiumtimesng
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