Federal High Court Acquits Ex-Head of Service Winifred Oyo-Ita of ₦570m Money Laundering Charges
After six years of protracted trial, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has discharged and acquitted the former Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, of all 18 counts of alleged money laundering brought against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Delivering judgment on the no-case submissions filed by Oyo-Ita and her co-defendants, Justice James Omotosho held that the prosecution failed to establish the essential ingredients of the offences alleged. The court described the EFCC’s case as “built on speculation, suspicion, and shoddy investigation,” noting that it lacked evidential weight.
The court emphasized that money laundering charges require proof of an underlying unlawful act. In this case, no predicate offence was established.
The judge held that Oyo-Ita was not shown to be a shareholder or director in the companies allegedly tied to the transactions.
Justice Omotosho also held that the monies allegedly received by Oyo-Ita from prosecution witnesses were not demonstrated to be proceeds of crime. Evidence confirmed that contracts, Estacodes, Duty Tour Allowances (DTAs), and air tickets were duly approved and executed, with Oyo-Ita not being the approving authority.
According to the judge, claims of incomplete asset declaration were found to be inadequately investigated.
Justice Omotosho upheld the no-case submissions of all nine defendants, ruling that the prosecution had failed to make out a prima facie case. Accordingly, Oyo-Ita, her aide Ubong Effiok, and seven others were discharged and acquitted of all charges.
The EFCC filed the 18-count charge on 28 February 2020 (Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/20/2020), naming Oyo-Ita, Frontline Ace Global Services Ltd, and Asanaya Projects Ltd as the 1st to 3rd defendants.
Other defendants included Garba Umar, Slopes International Ltd, Gooddeal Investments Ltd, Ubong Okon Effiok, and U & U Global Services Ltd as 4th to 9th defendants respectfully.
The allegations involved fraud relating to DTAs, Estacodes, conference fees, and alleged kickbacks on contracts amounting to ₦570 million.
The defendants were first arraigned before Justice Taiwo Taiwo (rtd.) in March 2020, before the case was reassigned to Justice Omotosho.
The EFCC called eight witnesses and tendered documents, but the defence argued successfully that no prima facie case had been established.
Mrs. Oyo-Ita had earlier been relieved of her position as Head of Service by the Buhari administration in September 2019 following corruption allegations, and was replaced by Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan.
