The Lagos Division of the Federal High Court on Monday dismissed a $2 million charge filed against Uyiekpen Giwa-Osagie, lawyer to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. 

Mr. Giwa-Osagie’s brother, Erhunse Giwa-Osagie, was also cleared of the same charge. 

The Giwa-Osagies, through their counsel Mr. Norrison Quakers, filed a no-case submission asking the judge to dismiss the charges brought before the court by the anti-graft EFCC, noting that they had not acted illegally.

Ruling on the application, Justice Aneke upheld the defendants’ submissions, holding that the EFCC failed, in its submissions, to establish that the money was illegal. 

The three-count charge, case number FHC/L/283C/19, was filed by the EFCC, who alleged that in February 2019, the siblings conspired and committed the offence by making cash payment of the $2 million without going through financial institutions as required by law for such a large volume.

Both men had pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against them in 2019. The matter was a point of controversy during the 2019 presidential elections.

This offence is contrary to Sections 18(a) and 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 and is punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

The anti-corruption agency testified that, in 2019, it was aware of some politicians moving around with dollars to influence the result of the last general elections, calling on two witnesses who testified in favour of its allegations. 

The siblings were re-arraigned last February 23, on the same charges in the build up to the last general elections. Only for a federal judge to knock down the charges on Monday.