Former governor of Adamawa State, Bala Ngilari, who has been standing trial for fraud related charges, was today discharged and acquitted by the Court of Appeal in Yola, the state capital.
EFCC in September 2016 dragged the former governor before the High Court where the presiding judge, Justice Nathan Musa, ordered that he be remanded in EFCC custody.
The antigraft agency in a 19-count charge, accused the former governor, his former Secretary to the State Government, Ibrahim Welye and his former Commissioner of Finance and Budget, Sanda Lamurde, of violating procurement laws in the award of contract of 167 million naira to one El-Yadi Motors Limited for the supply of 25 units of operational vehicles (Toyota Corolla). They allegedly bought the cars without competitive bidding amongst other wrongdoing.
The three of them had pleaded not guilty then. The High court declined them bail after the prosecution ounsel opposed their application by their counsels.
After several proceedings in which he was convicted while his co-accused were discharged, the Appeal Court in Yola on Thursday, July 20, discharged and acquitted the former governor.
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