Reprieve has come the way of an ex-investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Victor Osita Uwajeh, as an Abuja High Court discharged and acquitted him on charges of impersonation preferred against him by the commission.
By exhibit tendered in court, Uwajeh, a United Kingdom (UK) based private investigator, was engaged by the commission under Mrs. Farida Waziri in 2008 to probe some Politically Exposed Individuals (PEIs) and suspected bank executives.
Sometime in 2010 the commission accused him of impersonating its personnel and extortion.
He was alleged to have solicited for bribe from convicted former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the now defunct Oceanic Bank Plc, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru.
The EFCC arraigned him on a six-count charge before Justice Ugochukwu Ogakwu of the Abuja High Court, Jabi, and charged him with forgery, impersonation, extortion and false issuance of fake EFCC complimentary cards with intent to defraud the public.
In a judgment, Justice Ogakwu held that the case against Uwajeh was predicated on suspicion and, therefore, dismissed it.
The judge also held that the prosecution failed to prove the guilt of the accused by virtue of the evidence it produced before the court.
Justice Ogakwu said the prosecution failed to prove the case of forgery, extortion and impersonation beyond reasonable doubts as none of the witnesses testified that the accused was directly linked to any act of forgery, impersonation and extortion.
The judge noted that the prosecution could not present petitions written against the accused.
"There is no eyewitness testimony or any irresistible circumstantial evidence on the basis of which the charge can be said to have been established beyond reasonable doubt.
"A rational and incisive examination of the evidence in this matter has disclosed that the prosecution did not discharge the burden cast upon it, of proving the offences charged beyond reasonable doubt.
"The doubt which I entertain as to the guilt of the accused person must be resolved in his favour.
"I therefore return a verdict of not guilty in respect of all the counts of the six-count charge preferred against the accused person. The accused person is consequently discharged and acquitted,"Justice Ogakwu held.
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