The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has discharged and acquitted former Chairman of Presidential Implementation Committee on Marine Safety and Security (PIMCOSS), Air Vice Marshal Saliu Atawodi (rtd), of N600m boat scam allegations.
Atawodi had earlier been arrested and charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for conspiracy, abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds.
The EFCC had alleged that Atawodi diverted N600m meant for the purchase of gun boats to fight illegal oil bunkering in the Niger-Delta region.
It also alleged that the ex-PIMCOMSS boss dubiously awarded the contract for the purchase of the boats to one Alhaji Rabiu of Hypertech Nigeria Limited, who was said to have been fully paid but never supplied the boats.
However, in a judgement delivered by Justice Tani Hassan-Yusuf on Tuesday, the Appeal Court ruled, on technical grounds, that there was no case to answer; thereby, setting aside the judgement of an Abuja High Court which had earlier asked Atawodi to open his defense on the matter.
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