A former Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe, has stated what befell her, Hon. Raymond Dabo and Evangelist Leo Sunday Jitung in an alleged N450 million money laundering case was a clear case of a witch hunt.

Ochekpe, who in addition to the two previously mentioned individuals, was on Tuesday, 22nd February 2022, released and acquitted of 2 out of the three count charges, however paid a N1million fine; advised well-meaning Nigerians to focus on resolving the myriad of obstacles bedevilling the country, “rather than chasing after shadows”.

She revealed this in an interview with reporters in Jos, the Plateau State capital, while reacting to the court judgment.

She said, “We have remained in court given that 2018; prior to then some examinations were performed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“We were welcomed to Gombe, we had actually gotten letters of invite in December 2016, to report to Gombe office of EFCC in January 2017. For the whole of 2017, the investigations by the EFCC went on”, she explained.

“When we were welcomed, we didn’t understand what it was for, and we were told that it remained in relation to some stolen funds, they mentioned the sum of N450 million.

“The 3 people composed our declarations to the impact that, in 2015, there was Presidential and National Assembly funds and elections were sent from Abuja to Plateau State, and three people were nominated to get the funds on behalf of the state PDP, then, obviously, was a PDP federal government that was in power, we did that innocently without knowing there will be any attachment to the funds.”

She further mentioned that the three of them were asked to provide records of their “properties, liabilities and bank accounts” and they were investigated.

“They alleged that the funds were stolen funds, and we stated we didn’t understand that; we only acted under directions.

“So when the case concerned court, the prosecution counsel finished their prosecution, our attorneys filed in for an appearance in submission, the judge ruled against us, and say we should enter our defence, which we did, and the defence was concluded in October 2021.

“In December 2021, the prosecution and defence made a discussion of their composed addresses and the offered a judgment date of 22nd February 2022”, she continued.

According to her, “Initially, there were 2 count charges of money laundering, and also withdrawing money through a banks, which we pleaded innocent.

“The charges were changed and they ended up being 3, and the 3rd charge was that we maintained the proceed of criminal offense, we still pleaded innocent.”

“In the judgment of 22nd February 2022, the judge discharged and acquitted us on the basis of the reality that, from all examinations, they did not discover any proof, to say that we kept the money, since the cash was from the bank, in the bank’s bullion van straight to the project workplace, and the cashier who got the money acknowledged that.

“Also, the then ALGON chairman in the state likewise testified that the money was dispersed to the 17 LGAs in the state for the election functions.

“There was no evidence against us to state we kept the cash, and based on that, the judge discharged and acquitted us”, she added.

“We were been founded guilty of a reality that there was a conspiracy among the three people, also that we did not gather the cash through a banks; however, these are technical issues that I can not speak even more on. Only the legal representatives can.”

On the judgment, Ochekpe said, “As far as we are worried, we are not satisfied with this judgment, and we told our attorneys, and they are checking out the matter; to recommend us on what beside do.”

The previous Minister nevertheless said she mored than happy to be out to continue doing what she is performing in her neighborhood and others around.

According to her, “There are higher issues in Nigeria that every well-meaning Nigerian must attend to, rather than chasing after shadows.

“As far as we are worried, this is a clear case of a witch hunt.”