FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA V. RT. HON. OLADIMEJI SABURI BANKOLE, CFR RT. HON. USMAN BAYERO NAFADA

HON. JUSTICE SULEIMAN B. BELGORE (Delivering the Ruling): In this ruling, I wish to begin by giving a “bird view” of this case. The two accused persons, Dimeji Saburi Bankole and Usman Bayero Nafada, are erstwhile leaders of the 6th House of Representatives. The 1st accused was the Speaker while the 2nd accused was Deputy Speaker. The complainant is the Federal Republic of Nigeria whose mouth piece is the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission hereinafter referred to simply as EFCC.

The charge sheet contains 17-counts and broadly speaking, the classes of offences alleged against the accused persons are:

(1) Violation of the approved remuneration package for political, public and judicial office holders by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

(2) Violation of Extant Revised Financial Regulation of the Federal Government, 2009.

(3) Conspiracy contrary to section 97 of the Penal Code.

(4) Criminal breach of trust contrary to section 311 of the Penal Code and punisha…