EDE AGIDA PETERS V. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

JAMILU YAMMAMA TUKUR, J.S.C. (Delivering the Lead Judgment):

INTRODUCTION

This is an appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal (the lower Court), Abuja Division, delivered on 01/06/2023 in Appeal Number CA/ABJ/CR/622/2021 which affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court (the trial Court), sitting in Abuja, delivered by His Lordship Hon. Justice D.U. Okorowo on the 28/06/2021, wherein the Appellant and two others were convicted and sentenced to one year’s imprisonment with hard labour.

BRIEF STATEMENT OF FACTS

The facts of the case, briefly stated, are that the appellant and two others were charged and arraigned before the trial Court on the 28/06/2021 on a two-count charge with Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/40/2021 for luring over one thousand unsuspecting members of the public to subscribe to and invest in an unregistered investment scheme. The Charge was read to the appellant and his co-accused persons and they all pleaded not guilty to count one but pleaded guilty to count two.

Fo…