A federal high court in Abuja has dismissed charges of fraud
brought against Abdullahi Inde Dikko, a former comptroller-general of the
Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other
Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Ijeoma Ojukwu, the judge, dismissed the charges following an
application by the ICPC to withdraw the charges filed against the former
customs chief.
The ICPC in February 2019 filed charges bordering on fraud
to the tune of N1.1 billion against Dikko and two others.
The other defendants are Garba Makarfi, former assistant
comptroller-general of customs in charge of finance, administration and
technical services, and Umar Hussaini, a lawyer.
The ICPC accused Dikko of inducing one Yemi Obadeyi, an
Abuja estate developer, to pay the sum of N1,100, 952,380.96 into the account
of Capital Law Office (a company belonging to Hussaini) for the purchase of 120
units of duplexes as residential accommodation for officers of the customs.
At a previous sitting in February, Solomon Akuma, Dikko’s
lawyer, presented a medical report informing the court that his client was
critically ill and on admission in London.
The judge had issued an arrest warrant against Dikko to
enable the prosecution to produce him to stand trial.
But as the trial resumed on Wednesday, Ebenezer Shogunle,
ICPC lawyer, informed the court that they have been unable to apprehend Dikko
despite the warrant issued against him.
Shogunle, therefore, made an oral application withdrawing
the charges.
Ojukwu granted the application and dismissed the charges.
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