BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

ABUJA — The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has discharged and acquitted the erstwhile Chief Executive Officer of M-Tel, Mr. Edwin Moore Momife, who was charged with three others for allegedly receiving bribes from a multi-national German company, Siemens Limited.

The appellate court, in a unanimous decision, held that Momife had no case to answer, noting that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, charged him under a non-existing law.
In the lead judgment which was read by Justice Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson, the appellate court also maintained that the anti-graft agency failed to prove the ingredients of the allegations it levelled against the appellant.

It observed that though EFCC charged Momife with conspiracy, it said the commission failed to charge any of Seimens officials fingered in the conspiracy, despite the fact that none of them was at large.
In the circumstance, the court held that the accused person could not have conspired with himself.

The court further held that even though the accused admitted receiving flight tickets from Siemens, there was no relationship, business or otherwise between Siemens and the accused and, therefore, the offence of receiving bribe without value consideration was sustainable.