Appeal Court Acquits Former Adamawa Governor

An appeal court in Yola, on Thursday acquitted ex-Adamawa governor, Bala Ngilari, of corruption charges.

Ngilari was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment by the State High Court in March, the Court held that he had failed to adhere to the procurement laws of the state when purchasing 25 units of vehicles worth 167 million Naira.

The ex-governor was charged alongside two of his former aides, Secretary to the State Government and Commissioner of Finance by the anti-graft agency, EFCC.

He was given an option by the court to choose any prison he wanted to be kept in. Ngilari was subsequently granted bail on health grounds.

However, the Appeal Court presided by Justice Olayomi Folashade on Thursday quashed the ruling of the ‎state High Court which had earlier sentenced the ex-governor to jail for lack of merit and sufficient proof of allegations against him.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed the charges against him.

Ngilari governed Adamawa from October 2014 to May 2015, following the impeachment of Murtala Nyako.