The Conviction of Senator Peter Nwaoboshi Overturned by Supreme Court, Orders Immediate Release
In a significant turn of events, the Supreme Court has quashed the conviction of Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta North) and his sentencing to seven years imprisonment on charges of fraud and money laundering. The apex court has further ordered his immediate release from Ikoyi prisons in Lagos, where he is currently detained.
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The Supreme Court, in a judgment delivered on Friday, also granted freedom to the two companies implicated in the case, namely Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd and Suiming Electrical Ltd, which were jointly tried with Senator Nwaoboshi on a two-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
By a split decision of four-to-one, the Supreme Court set aside the July 1, 2022 judgment of the Court of Appeal in Lagos, which had overturned their discharge and acquittal by the Federal High Court in Lagos.
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Justice Emmanuel Agim, delivering the lead judgment, stated that Senator Nwaoboshi and the two companies were unjustly and maliciously prosecuted by the EFCC, as they had not committed any offenses recognized by the law. The apex court criticized the EFCC for subjecting them to an unnecessary criminal trial in relation to a civil transaction.
The EFCC had alleged that Senator Nwaoboshi and his companies illegally acquired a property known as Guinea House on Marine Road, Apapa, Lagos, for the sum of N805 million, which was claimed to belong to the Delta State Government. The anti-graft agency further asserted that Suiming Electrical Ltd, on behalf of Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd, transferred a portion of the funds, which were believed to be proceeds of their illicit activities.
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However, the Supreme Court’s decision has nullified the previous convictions, highlighting the lack of sufficient evidence to support the charges brought against Senator Nwaoboshi and the two companies. The ruling brings an end to their prolonged legal battle and paves the way for their release from custody.
