PHOTO: Dimeji Bankole Cries Openly As Court Sets Him Free

Reprieve came the way of Nigeria's former Number 4 citizen, Rt Hon.

Dimeji Bankole on Friday as a Federal High Court in Abuja discharged

and acquitted him on charges bordering on fraud and abuse of office.

Justice Evoh Chukwu, in a ruling on a no-case submission by Bankole,

held that the EFCC "failed woefully" to establish a prima facie case

against the ex-Speaker in the N874million contract fraud charge

against him.

In the ruling that lasted about 2 hours, Justice Chukwu held that the

prosecution led by Festus Keymo failed to make out a case against the

accused person.

According to the Judge:The prosecution failed to link the ex-Speaker

to all the alleged offences, particularly when it was unable to

establish that Bankole was the House of Reps Accounting Officer who

handled its contract transactions or that he was involved in contract

inflation, contract fraud and bid rigging.On hearing the judgement,

Hon Bankole, dressed in white native attire, succumbed to emotion and

wept...

The EFCC had in 2011 filed a 16-count charge against Bankole, and on

which basis he was later arraigned.

Bankole pleaded not guilty to the charge.

"In the end, the no-case submission of the accused person succeeds.

The accused is hereby discharged and acquitted," the Judge ruled and

retired to his chamber.

As Bankole tried to put his cap on his head, tears flowed freely from

his eyes, wiping the tears with his hand.