Attorney-General Of The Federation Withdraws N100 Billion Charges Against Mohammed Abacha

A High Court, siting in Abuja, on Wednesday discharged the case against Mohammed Abacha, son of late former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, for allegedly receiving N100.38 billion worth of stolen property following a request by government to discontinue the case.

The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, on behalf of the Federal Government, had filed a nine-count charge against Abacha.

But Justice Mamman Kolo of the FCT High Court discharged Abacha after the Federal Government’s Counsel, Daniel Enwelum, made an oral application asking the court to withdraw the criminal charges against the suspect.

The judge also granted the application for discontinuation of trial, which was not opposed by the defence counsel, Abdullahi Haruna.

At the resumed hearing of the case, the Federal Government counsel told the court that he was instructed by the Attorney-General of the Federation to withdraw the charges.

Enwelum argued that the application became necessary in view of emerging facts and circumstances of the case.

The prosecution thereafter filed a notice of discontinuation of the case.

The government had accused Mohammed of receiving stolen property worth N100.38 billion. The money is believed to have been stolen by the late dictator when he was the Nigerian head of state from 1993 to 1998.

Several billions of Naira stolen by the military dictator and kept in foreign countries have been recovered by the federal government.