MUSA DATTIJO MUHAMMAD, JSC (Delivering the Leading Judgment):
The appellants in the two appeals stand trial at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, hereinafter referred to as the trial Court, on a seven count money laundering charge. On their arraignment, they pleaded not guilty to the charge. The respondent led eight witnesses through whom several documents were admitted in evidence to establish its case against the appellants. At the close of the respondent's case, the appellants made a no case submission and urged the trial Court to discharge them. In a considered ruling delivered on the 9th March 2016, the trial Court dismissed appellants' no case submission and ordered them to enter their defence.
Aggrieved by the trial Court's dismissal of their no case submission, the appellants separately filed their notices of appeal, containing the same grounds, against the ruling on 23rd March 2016 at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, hereinafter referred to as the Lower Court. The ap…