An Abuja High Court on Friday
cleared Nasir El-Rufai, the former Federal Capital Territory minister,
of eight counts of abuse of power and other criminal charges.
The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed against him
in relation to his time as minister in 2003-2007, when he was alleged to
have illegally allocated plots of land to his wives, relatives and
friends.
El-Rufai
was also alleged to have revoked a plot of land from its previous
owner, Power Holding Company of Nigeria Plc, and given it to his wife,
Hadiza Ahmed El-Rufai and has been on trial since 2008, but was
acquitted of all the charges by Justice Sadiq Abubakar Umar.
The
ex-Minister’s spokesman Muyiwa Adekeye, speaking after the ruling said:
"It is a vindication he never doubted will come, confident in his
innocence and the integrity with which he served this country. Despite
the magnitude of the pain he has endured, El Rufai has decided to put
all this in the past. He intends to move on, stepping confidently into
the future with forgiveness and goodwill, devoid of the cobwebs of
grudge."
The EFCC yesterday said it will appeal the court ruling.
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