It is celebration galore for friends of Alu Dismas, an aide to a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, as the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal on Friday, May 14, voided his conviction on graft related charges.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Alu Dismas and Callistus Obi, a former Executive Director of NIMASA, on an eight-count charge on 12, April, 2016.
Also charged as third and fourth defendants, were two companies, Grand Pact Limited and Global Seal Investment Limited.
The anti-graft agency stated that alleged that the defendants conspired to convert money to the tune of N136 million from NIMASA with knowledge that same were proceeds of crime, thus contravening the provisions of sections 15 and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering and Prohibitions (Amendment) Act, 2021.
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on May 23, 2019, convicted Dismas and Callistus, alongside the two companies after finding them guilty on the charges of money laundering. The trial judge discharged and acquitted them of the conspiracy charge.
However, Dismas challenged the verdict at the Court of Appeal which upturned the conviction in its judgment delivered via zoom on Friday, May 14.
The panel of three Justices of the Court of Appeal held that the conviction of the appellant was a nullity, as the lead judgment delivered by Justice T. Awotoye was endorsed by other members of the panel, Justice C.N. Uwa and Justice J. Abundaga, all of whom agreed that, the prosecution failed to prove the ingredients of money laundering against the appellant.
Reacting on his acquittal, Dismas said he gives the glory to God, even as he expressed appreciation to those who stood by him throughout the trying moment.
Speaking on the judgment, a lecturer at the Jasper Adaka Boro College of Education, Sagbama, Bayelsa State, Ambah Binaebi, commended the judiciary, saying it was truly the last hope of the common man.
