Former lawmaker, Chinyere Igwe, who was arrested on the eve of the presidential election with $499,000, has had the money laundering and criminal charges against him withdrawn by the Rivers State Government.
The piles of US dollars were found by police inside Chinyere Igwe’s car.
Mr Igwe, an opposition PDP member of the House of Representatives, was also caught with a list of people to give the money to, police said.
Igwe had been granted bail after spending some weeks in custody.
During the court proceedings, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Professor Zacchaeus Adangor, announced the decision to withdraw the case without providing any reasons.
The trial judge, Justice Stephen Daylop-Pam, approved the withdrawal as the defense counsel did not oppose it and subsequently discharged the defendant. Additionally, the judge ordered the return of Igwe’s international passport and other seized exhibits by the police.