KUMAI BAYANG AKA'AHS, JSC (Delivering the Leading Judgment): On 30 October, 2014 the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) preferred a 208 counts charge against the accused/appellant before the Federal High Court, Lokoja in Charge No. FHC/LKJ4C/2011 presided over by I. E. Ekwo J. He pleaded not guilty to each of the counts. Hon. Albert Soje (then Majority Leader) of the Kogi State House of Assembly was also arraigned with the accused/appellant on a two count charge but at the end of the trial he was acquitted and discharged.
The appellant was however convicted on 75 counts while he was acquitted and discharged on the remaining 133 counts. The appellant appealed against this decision to the Court of Appeal, Abuja in his Notice of Appeal dated 17 May, 2016 containing 11 grounds of appeal. A preliminary objection attacking grounds 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 was raised and argued in the respondent's brief which was filed on 14 November, 2016. The lower Court upheld the objection and…