Date: 2015-05-20

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday cleared a former Kwara State Governor, Bukola Saraki, of any wrongdoing in a bank loan being investigated by the Police Special Fraud Unit since 2012.

Delivering judgment in a fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by Saraki, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, ordered the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, from further inviting or arresting the former governor over the alleged bank loan. 

The court hinged its order granted on Wednesday on a legal opinion by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke,  that the allegations of wrongdoing against the former governor was baseless.

The legal opinion of the Justice Minister was a response to the report submitted to him by the Inspector General of Police on Police findings in a complaint by Joy Petroleum Limited.

Justice Mohammed also barred the agents of the IGP especially the operatives in the Special Fraud Unit from harassing, intimidating and breaching the fundamental rights of the former governor and his aides.

The court held that any attempt to commence any further interrogation of  Saraki  over an issue already declared closed by the Minister of Justice would amount to a breach of his fundamental rights.

Justice Mohammed said it would be unfair for Saraki to be subjected to further interrogation by police having been cleared of any wrongdoing by the AGF in the report police submitted to the minister for legal advice.

The Judge said the court had no choice than to give effect to the legal opinion of the Minister of Justice that the complaints against  Saraki were basless, unfounded and not supported with any shred of documentary evidence since he has no link with Joy Petroleum Limited, the complainant.

The court also held that the police ought to have stopped any further harassment of the plaintiff since the AGF had officially written to the Inspector General of Police to discontinue the matter.

Saraki had sued the Inspector General of Police before the court over series of letters of invitation extended to him to appear before the Special Fraud Unit for investigation on a bank loan resolved in his favour two years ago.

In the suit, Saraki complained of undue harassment and intimidation on the part of Police and sought for protection of his fundamental human rights to justice and fair-play.

The former governor sought court order to quash the invitation on the ground that he had two years ago been investigated and exonerated by the police report.