The trial Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, discharged Oronsaye from the fraud charges, citing lack of merit in the allegations against him.
Delivering judgement in the lingering suit on Monday, the Judge held that the EFCC failed to provide enough evidence to warrant Oronsaye’s conviction.
Oronsaye was arraigned alongside one Osarenkhoe Afe, on a 49-count charge that was later reduced to 22.
The EFCC alleged that the defendants had between 2010 and 2011 used some firms to divert public funds through procurement fraud.
Orosanye and the others, were also accused of using inflated biometrics enrolment contracts, collective allowances, and other schemes to siphon money from accounts containing pensioners’ funds.
However, the Judge reasoned that the anti-graft agency failed to supply the court, with ingredients that could establish the alleged corruption charges against Oronsaye.
Subsequently, the court dismissed the charges in relation to Oronsaye, discharged and acquitted him.
Similarly, Justice Olasumbo Goodluck of the Court of Appeal had earlier dismissed similar fraud charges against the former Head of Service of the Federation, discharged and acquitted him on the ground that the charges were frivolous and lacked merit.
EFCC To Appeal Acquittal
Meanwhile, the EFCC has said it will appeal the judgment of the Federal High Court Abuja, which today acquitted a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, HoS, Mr. Stephen Oronsaye of the N2bn money laundering charge brought against him and others by the Commission.
In dismissing the charge, Justice Inyang Ekwo held that the Commission failed to establish the charges against the defendants.
In a statement by its Head, Media & Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, the Commission said the trial judge erred by overlooking the evidence of the 21 witnesses called by the prosecution in the course of the trial as well as the confessional statement of one of the defendants, Osarenkhoe Afe. It has therefore decided to challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal.
Oronsaye’s corruption trial commenced in 2015 when he was docked alongside the Managing Director of Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited, Mr. Osarenkhoe Afe and three companies- Cluster Logistic Limited; Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited.
The 1st and 2nd defendants, had between 2010 and 2011, used the companies as vehicles to siphon public funds to the tune of N2billion, through contract fraud.
They were prosecuted on an amended 27 –count charge,