BREAKING: Dino Melaye wins in court, over criminal charges

A Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja on Tuesday discharged former Kogi West Senator, Dino Daniel Melaye of criminal charges leveled against him by the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF.

The FCT High Court cleared Dino Melaye of giving false information to police, as claimed by the AGF.

He was accused of deliberately accusing the ex-Chief of Staff to the Kogi State Governor, now Deputy Governor, David Onoja of plotting to assassinate him in April 2017.

Melaye was accused of giving a false statement during a conversation with Mohammed Abubakar, son of Abubakar Audu, ex-Kogi governor.

In a two-count charge, the former lawmaker was accused of giving out false information with the intent of harming Onoja’s reputation.

The lawmaker, however, denied committing the offense punishable under Sections 140 and 393 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89, Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963

His counsel, Mr. Olusegun Jolaawo, SAN, had filed a no-case-submission when the prosecution closed their case.

However, Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, while delivering a ruling on the no-case -submission, held that “there was no evidence that the defendant gave false information to any person in public service.”

The Judge described the evidence given by a government witness Mr. Edward Onoja as “vague and unreliable”

Justice Goodluck held that “neither of the two witnesses elicited evidence on the status of Mohammed Abubaker Audu.”