₦2.5bn DSO Project: Ex-NBC DG Kawu Modibbo discharged, acquitted
The former Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Ishaq Kawu Modibbo and Pinnacle Communications Limited, on Thursday, were discharged and acquitted by the Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-led Federal High Court in Abuja.
It would be recalled that Kawu Modibbo and Pinnacle Communications Limited 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 judgment, Justice Ogunbanjo held that the ICPC was not able to prove the allegations against the defendants.
The judge further discharged the defendants because the statements and evidence of the witnesses could not pin any allegation on the defendants, adding 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 the former Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, 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.
Source: Channels TV
