Deji Abiola Freed of N35.5 Million Fraud Charges

In a sitting held at the Ikeja High Court in Lagos on Monday, 2nd June, 2012, Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo discharged and acquitted Mr. Deji Abiola, son of the late business mogul, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola of the N35.5 million theft charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The judge in his short ruling discharged and acquitted Abiola of the one-count charge of theft.

According to the ruling read by the justice: “Following the application filed by the prosecution (EFCC)… notifying the court of its intention to withdraw the charge after an agreement was reached between the accused and the complainant, the accused is hereby discharged and acquitted.”

Deji was dragged before the court for allegedly stealing N35.5 million belonging to a Lagos-based printer in 2008, Mr. Jide Jose, under the pretext of helping the complainant to import printing machines from Switzerland. The case had been in court since Sptember 2, 2010.