Court acquits ex-PPMC MD’s wife of money laundering charges

A federal high court in Abuja has discharged and acquitted Ochuko, wife of Haruna Momoh, of money laundering charges.

Haruna Momoh is a former managing director of the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC).

He was accused to have allegedly siphoned funds belonging to the agency through his wife.

Also acquitted at the court’s sitting on Thursday are Blessing Azuka-Agozi, StanbicIBTC Bank Plc, Energopol Nigeria Limited, Blaid Construction Limited, and Blaid Farms Limited.

They were being arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on a 22-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering running into billions of naira.

Taiwo Taiwo, the presiding judge, held that the prosecution failed to prove its allegations against the defendants beyond a reasonable doubt.

He ruled that the case of the prosecution was unreliable because it was built on mere speculation and conjecture.

The court ordered that Momoh’s bank accounts as well as that of her two companies — Blaid Construction and Blaid Farms — frozen as a result of the case, be immediately unfrozen, “upon service” of the judgment on the plaintiff and the affected banks.

The court also ordered the prosecution to immediately unseal all properties both immovable and movable, belonging to Momoh.

“In the final analysis, the case of the prosecution was entirely based on suspicion, without any reliable ground,” Taiwo said.

“The investigation allegedly carried out was without merit and unable to establish the allegations against the defendants.

“This court holds that it will only rely on probable facts and not suspicion and conjecture as presented by the prosecution in this case.

“The law remains trite that doubts arising from criminal proceedings must be resolved in favour of the defendant.

“Consequently, the prosecution, having failed to discharge its onerous duty of proving the 22-count charge against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt, the defendants are hereby discharged and acquitted of all counts of the charge.”