A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday quashed the eight-count charge of abuse of office filed against a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, and two others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The other accused persons charged with El-Rufai were Altine Jubrin and Iro Ismaila who served as public officers under him.
In his pronouncement on the case, Justice Adamu Bello said that the charges brought under the ICPC Act 2000 had been repealed.
The judge said “In the light of this, the court lacks the jurisdiction to try the accused; the charges ought to have been filed under the amended Act of 2003.
“Even if the charges were brought under that Act, this court still lacks the jurisdiction to entertain it; only the FCT High Courts have such jurisdictions.
“The case is therefore, struck out and the three accused are hereby discharged.”
However, the EFCC has prepared fresh charges against him.
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