The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has vacated the Federal High Court judgement that discharged and acquitted a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar of money laundering charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him.
The anti-graft agency had alleged that the former Air Chief diverted public funds to the tune of about N66million.
EFCC, in a one-count money laundering charge it entered before the high court, alleged that the Umar stole the money from an account that was operated by the Nigerian Air Force.
It alleged that the Defendant committed the offence between 2010 and 2012, while he held sway as the Chief of Air Staff, adding that he used the stolen fund to renovate his property in Abuja.
Trial Justice Nnamdi Dimgba had ruled that the prosecution failed to provide any evidence that Umar gave instruction that led to the transfer of the said funds for the renovation of his private property in Abuja.
The trial judge held that it would be dangerous to speculate that the former Air Chief must be aware of every financial transaction from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force.
