FG withdraws N2.2 billion Fraud Case Against Chief Registrar of Supreme Court

Today, the Federal Government on Tuesday dropped the fraud charges it filed against the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Ahmed Saleh and two other workers of the court without giving any reason.

The Punch reports that the charges were filed before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja about three months ago, followed a Department of State Services (DSS) raid on the homes of some Supreme Court judges and the court complex.

The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation had filed the charges against Saleh, Muhammed Abdulrahman Sharif and Rilwanu Lawal on November 3, 2016.

Details of the case marked, FCT/HC/CR/13/2016, alleged that the accused received gratifications totalling N74.4m from private contractors providing services to the Supreme Court between 2009 and 2016.

The prosecution also alleged in the nine counts, that the Supreme Court officials, among others, diverted the sum of N2.2bn belonging to the court.

The accused were to be arraigned on Tuesday but a prosecuting counsel, Mrs Hajara Yusuf, announced the withdrawal of the charges.

“This matter is for arraignment today but I have been instructed to withdraw the said charges,” Yusuf said.

She gave no reason for the withdrawal of the charges.

The defence lawyers appearing for the defendants said they had no objection.

The trial judge, Justice Abba-Bello Mohammed, subsequently struck out the case.