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After 14 years in court, reprieve finally came the way of former Senate president, Adolphus Wabara, as he was discharged and acquitted by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of bribery allegation.
The corruption charge was brought against Wabara by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for want of diligent prosecution.
The court took the decision after the anti graft agency withdrew the charge against the defendants.
Justice Sunday Aladetoyinbo, in his ruling, agreed with the defence team that the prosecution, which initiated the trial since 2005, has no witness to prosecute the former Senate president, Senator Ibrahim Abdulazeez and Senator John Azuta Mbata. Others who were standing trial in the charge marked FCT/HC/CR/31/2005, but were not present in court included Garba Matazu and Professor Fabian Osuji.
Justice Aladetoyinbo, who relied on the provisions of Section 355 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, held that the prosecution lacks witnesses to prosecute the charge and, therefore, discharged the defendants.
The court noted that following the failure of the prosecutor to produce witnesses, each of the counsels to the defendants also urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendants under Section 355 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
