Court Discharges Goje After AGF Withdraws Charges

A Federal High Court sitting in Jos has dismissed the remaining two counts charge on the sale of 50 buses filed against Sen. Danjuma Goje.

Justice Babatunde Quadiri, in his judgment today discharged Goje , after the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) applied for the withdrawal of the two charges.

Naija News understands that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC was prosecuting the former Governor until Friday, June 7, when AGF took over.

Recall that the AGF took over after Goje dropped his ambition to be Senate President to Buhari’s preferred candidate, Senator Ahmed Lawan (APC-Yobe North).

The anti-graft Agency filed 21 count charge against Goje, but 19 of the charges were later struck out leaving only two count in Goje’s “submission of No Case”.

When the case came up for hearing today, the counsel for the AGF, Pius Akutah, told the Court that he was withdrawing the charges against Goje. “My Lord, we have an application having taken over the case and reviewed the 21 count charges of no submission and by the ruling of this court quashed 19 leaving only two count charges in which they are to enter defense.

“As it is, the Federal Ministry of Justice wishes to withdraw those two charges against the accused persons “This action is in line with the power vested on the AGF by virtue of section 128 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 particularly sub section 1 of that section (128). he said

“It’s in accordance with the power vested on the AGF by the constitution that we wish to withdraw the charges before your Lordship. “This is our humble application and urge your Lordship to grant our application, Akutah pleaded. Responding, Mr Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), Counsel to Goje, did not opposed the application.

“My Lord, we are not opposing the application but we are urging your Lordship to evoke the provision of section 2(a)(b) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and acquit them of the charges. “The same section gives your Lordship the discretionary power to make an order for the accused persons to be discharged and acquitted.

My Lord has the power under Section III. “As we urge your Lordship to consider our humble application, we wish thank you for your patience with us since 2011 when we started this journey on the case. “We also wish to commend the AGF for wise decision in bringing this case to an end, ” Akintola stated. Quadiri, in his ruling, said pursuant to Section 174(1) particularly sub-section (b) and coupled with Section 108 (2) of 2015, ” the application by the AGF to withdraw the charges is hereby granted.” “The accused persons are hereby discharged, ” the judge held.