Shamsudeen Bala, son of former Federal Capital Territory Minister Bala Mohammed, has been discharged and acquitted by the Federal High Court in Abuja on 11 of a 20-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
On Tuesday, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba acquitted Bala while ruling on the defendant’s no-case submission.
Bala is on trial with four other companies, including Bird Trust Agro Allied Ltd., Intertrans Global Logistics Ltd., Diakin Telecommunications Ltd., and Bal-Vac Mining Ltd.
The EFCC claimed that Bala used the four companies to launder over N1.1 billion.
The commission also claimed that Bala went on to buy houses in affluent areas of Abuja, which he paid for in cash, in order to conceal the stolen funds.
The anti-graft agency claimed that among the assets were five plots of land at Asokoro Gardens; House FS 2 B, Green Acre Estate Apo-Dutse, Abuja; House FS 1A, Green Acre Estate Apo-Dutse, Abuja; and House 2A, No. 7, Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja.
Dimgba, on the other hand, released Bala on counts one to ten and count twenty, which bordered on the allegation that Bala exceeded the permissible threshold of N5 million in making payments for the acquisition of houses.
The court noted that there was no evidence to support the allegation that Bala purchased property with cash in excess of the stipulated financial threshold.
The court ruled that the prosecution witness’ evidence amounted to hearsay and thus was not admissible in court.
However, the judge dismissed the no-case-submission in respect of counts 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, which concerned Bala’s failure to disclose his assets in the assets declaration form he filled out at the EFCC.
The trial court ordered the defendant to explain counts 17, 18, and 19, which were based on forgery.
The case was adjourned until Feb. 28, 2022, so the defendant could present his defense on counts 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19.
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