Court Acquits Oyo-Ita in Six-Year Corruption Case

On Tuesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja discharged and acquitted Oyo-Ita, the former Head of Service, after a six-year corruption trial concerning allegations of money laundering involving 570 million naira. Justice James Omotosho ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) did not provide sufficient evidence to support the 18-count charge against her and eight co-defendants.

The court found that the prosecution failed to prove essential elements of the money laundering charges, including the source of the funds and any illegal activity. Justice Omotosho noted that Oyo-Ita was neither a shareholder nor a director of the companies involved, and the contracts in question were duly approved.

The prosecution's evidence was deemed insufficient to sustain the charges, leading to the conclusion that Oyo-Ita did not receive any unlawful benefits from the alleged transactions.