By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Friday set aside the seven years prison sentence slammed on Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who represented Delta North District, Delta State, in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
He was convicted and jailed after investigation by anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a body which had alleged that Nwaoboshi and his companies illegally acquired a property named Guinea House on Marine Road, in Apapa, Lagos State, South West Nigeria, for N805 million (1.047 million USD) which belonged to the Delta State government.
The EFCC says part of the money used to pay for the property was transferred by Suiming Electrical Ltd on behalf of Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd, funds it believes were proceeds of crime.
The Court of Appeal in Lagos had in a judgement delivered on July 1, 2022, sentenced Nwaoboshi to prison after it convicted him on a two-count charge the EFCC brought against him.
The appellate court equally ordered that his two companies- Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd and Suiming Electrical Ltd- be wound up, in line with the provision of Section 22 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2021.
The Supreme Court, however in a split decision of four-to-one, nullified the judgement of the appeal court but aligned with the verdict of the Federal High Court in Lagos State, which discharged and acquitted the embattled former lawmaker of the charge against him.
The Supreme Court held that the ex-lawmaker was not given fair hearing before his conviction.
In the lead judgment by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the apex court held that Nwaoboshi’s prosecution by the EFCC was unjust and malicious.
