Court frees Ladoja of N4.7bn fraud

Justice Mohammed Idris sitting at A Federal High Court in Lagos today discharged and acquitted Chief Rashidi Ladoja in the alleged N4.7 billion fraud charged brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ladoja was freed by the court on Friday, February 8. Justice Mohammed Idris in his judgement said the evidence brought to the court by the EFCC was “too low on credible evidence.” He therefore discharged and acquitted the former governor of Oyo state and Waheed Akanbi, who was Oyo State Commissioner for Finance during his administration.

A Federal High Court in Lagos had on Monday, January 21, reserved judgment in the criminal case against a former governor of Oyo state, Rashidi Ladoja, and one of his aides, Waheed Akanbi, charged with N4.7 billion fraud. Justice Mohammed Idris reserved his judgment after counsel representing parties had adopted their final addresses before the court,  Ladoja was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with converting N4.7 billion from the state’s treasury to his personal use.

He was re-arraigned along with Akanbi, his former Commissioner for Finance on 11 counts charge of money laundering and unlawful conversion of public funds.