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By Lukman Olabiyi
The Lagos Magistrates Court Ogba, Ikeja, has struck out money laundering charges filed against the Managing Director (MD) of Shibahwells Energy, Isaac Adewole, and a staff of Wema Bank Plc, Kingsley Ananwude, for lack of merit.
Magistrate A.O. Layinka (Mrs.) discharged the defendants and struck out the charge following the legal advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Lagos State, that no prima facie case has been established against them.
The defendants were arraigned in court on February 9, 2022, in Charge No. MIK/B/6/2022–Commissioner of Police vs. Adewole Isaac & Kingsley Ananwude, for alleged stealing and money laundering to the tune of N1.7 billion. After pleading not guilty, the court granted the defendants’ bail and then adjourned the case till March 15, 2022, for trial.
Magistrate Layinka (Mrs.) discharged the defendants and struck out the charge for lack of merit after relying on DPP’s legal advice.
The legal advice signed by the DPP of Lagos State held that after an extensive review of the duplicate case file provided by the police authority, the defendants were arrested based on rumours by one Timi Popoola and nothing more!
The DPP further stated that there was insufficient evidence to predicate the offences upon which a criminal charge was brought before the court.
