An Abuja High Court on Thursday, February 20, 2020, finally declined to join the names of the president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick and the general secretary, Mohammed Sanusi to a case of financial misappropriation brought before it by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
In his judgment, Justice Peter O. Affen refused the amendment sought by the EFCC to include Pinnick and Sanusi to a trial involving three members of staff of the NFF (two of whom are no longer with the federation) with regards to the utilization of $8.4 million grant from world football governing body, FIFA, and which began in 2018.
It is the second time in few months that a court of law would trash allegations of financial misappropriation against the leadership of Nigeria Football Federation, vindicating their claims that such charges were a result of envy, malice, victimization, and vendetta.
The NFF lawyers argued and prayed through a motion duly served on the Office of the AGF that based on law and constitutional provisions, the NFF officials could not be joined in the matter, having been discharged and acquitted by the Federal High Court on practically the same charges, with the same witnesses and proof of evidence for both cases.
Furthermore, the NFF lawyers argued that the entire charges bordered on the use of FIFA funds and on which by relevant laws, only the FIFA Ethics Committee has the exclusive right to investigate and adjudicate.
In this case, they said, FIFA has not complained to any third party that their funds were missing and/or misappropriated.
Rather, FIFA has continued to relate very well with the NFF and even NFF’s account audited by PwC is published on the FIFA website.
Justice Affen, after listening to the arguments, ruled the trial would continue with the three persons initially charged, and he could not allow the motion to join the NFF chieftains in the matter having been discharged and acquitted on similar charges by a court of concurrent jurisdiction.
Festus Okpe, the counsel to NFF, gave a summary of the judgment: “This case has been going on since 2018. Initially, the EFCC filed corruption charges against some staff of the NFF, which we challenged.
Midway into the trial, they tried to join the leadership of the NFF, namely Amaju Melvin Pinnick and Mohammed Sanusi, but we opposed that because Pinnick and Sanusi were by that time standing trial at the Federal High Court on similar charges.
“This morning, the court delivered ruling and refused the amendment, so as we speak, there is no charge pending against both of them.
The trial will continue with the three persons initially charged and we hope to in due course prove the innocence of these persons.”
Hattip to Vanguard
