Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court Abuja has discharged and acquitted Ishaq Kawu Modibbo, former director-general, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), and Pinnacle Communications Limited.
Ishaq Kawu Modibbo, former director-general, NBC
They were being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences (ICPC) of charges bordering on the ₦2.5 billion released to Pinnacle Communications under the Federal Government Digital Switch Over (DSO) project.
Delivering judgement on Thursday, Justice Ogunbanjo held that the ICPC was not able to prove the allegations against the defendants.
The judge further discharged the defendants on the grounds that the statements and evidence of the witnesses, could not pin any allegation on the defendants.
She further held that some of the witnesses contradicted themselves, and none of their statements was able to link the defendants to the charge.
According to the judge, while some of the witnesses in their oral evidence, said Lai Mohammed, former Minister of Information, was misled in approving the payment of ₦2.5 billion to Pinnacle Communications Ltd, they failed to render any documentary evidence.
The trial of the former director-general of the NBC lasted for six years.
He and Pinnacle Communications were prosecuted by the ICPC, on a five count amended charge over the release of ₦2.5bn to Pinnacle Communications Ltd, under the approval of Mohammed, under the FG Digital Switch Over (DSO) project.