An Abuja High Court on Friday cleared Nasir El-Rufai, the former Federal Capital Territory minister, of eight counts of abuse of power and other criminal charges.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed against him in relation to his time as minister in 2003-2007, when he was alleged to have illegally allocated plots of land to his wives, relatives and friends.
El-Rufai was also alleged to have revoked a plot of land from its previous owner, Power Holding Company of Nigeria Plc, and given it to his wife, Hadiza Ahmed El-Rufai and has been on trial since 2008, but was acquitted of all the charges by Justice Sadiq Abubakar Umar.
The ex-Minister’s spokesman Muyiwa Adekeye, speaking after the ruling said: "It is a vindication he never doubted will come, confident in his innocence and the integrity with which he served this country. Despite the magnitude of the pain he has endured, El Rufai has decided to put all this in the past. He intends to move on, stepping confidently into the future with forgiveness and goodwill, devoid of the cobwebs of grudge."
The EFCC yesterday said it will appeal the court ruling.
No comments:
Post a Comment