On Thursday, a Federal High Court in Dutse, Jigawa State, discharged and acquitted Senator Saminu Turaki of the N8.3 billion corruption charges brought against him by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission.
Turaki and three other companies had been on trial since May 4, 2007, in an EFCC suit on 33 counts.
On July 13, 2007, the EFCC arraigned the former governor before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal Capital Territory High Court.
The case was transferred to the Federal High Court, Dutse, in 2011, after the former governor challenged the court’s jurisdiction in the FCT division.
A new judge, Justice Hassan Dikko, was reassigned to take over the case which was formerly being handled by Justice S. Yahuza before his retirement early in December.
The presiding judge, Justice Hassan Dikko, who delivered the ruling, struck out all charges and discharged all the accused persons for want of diligent prosecution.
The court further ordered that the travel document of the first accused person, Saminu Turaki, be released to him with immediate effect.
Reacting on the judgment, Saidu Tudunwada, who is one of the defense counsel, said that the court found merit in their application for the discharge of the accused person against the 33 counts.
He added that, with the ruling, justice had been served and it was a victory for all.