OLUKAYODE ARIWOOLA, JSC (Delivering the Leading Judgment): This is an appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, delivered on the 18th day of April, 2005 whereby it resolved against the appellant, the questions that were referred to it by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Coram: Justice Saleh, CJ.
The situation that culminated into this appeal briefly is as follows:
The respondent through its Honourable Attorney General, in exercise of his powers under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution had filed four (4) different charges against the appellant and one Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, (now a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The said charges were;
(a) Charge No. CR/21/2000 of 33 Counts
(b) Charge No. CR/22/2000 of 9 Counts
(c) Charge No. CR/23/2000 of 45 counts
(d) Charge No. CR 24/2000 of 33 Counts
The charges relate mainly to; offence of conspiracy, receiving stolen property dishones…