By Onoja Baba
The Adamawa State High Court has discharged and acquitted retired Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Sheriff Abubakar Rabiu, a former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to former Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, over allegations of fraudulently converting properties valued at N80 million.
Delivering judgment on Friday, the Chief Judge of Adamawa State, Hafsat Abdulrahman, held that the prosecution failed to prove the five-count charge against Rabiu beyond reasonable doubt.
The court consequently discharged and acquitted the retired police officer of all allegations bordering on criminal breach of trust and related offences brought against him by the Adamawa State Government.
Justice Abdulrahman ruled that the prosecution failed to present credible and convincing evidence capable of sustaining the charges, declaring that the essential ingredients of the alleged offences had not been established.
“The prosecution has failed to prove the ingredients of the offences charged beyond reasonable doubt,” the judge held before entering a verdict of acquittal on all five counts.
Reacting to the judgment, Rabiu’s counsel, Roland Emem, described the verdict as a victory for justice, commending the court for adhering strictly to the law despite the prolonged proceedings.
The case originated in November 2021 after the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested and detained Rabiu following a petition allegedly submitted on behalf of Sebore Farms Limited, a company linked to the Nyako family.
According to the prosecution, Rabiu was instructed while serving as Nyako’s CSO to purchase two landed properties on behalf of Sebore Farms Limited but allegedly altered the ownership documents to another company before later selling the properties after Nyako’s impeachment in 2014.
He was arraigned before the Adamawa State High Court on November 12, 2021, in Suit No. HC/ADSY/77CA/2021 on a five-count charge.
The trial witnessed several twists, including the withdrawal of Rabiu’s initial counsel, Gabriel Adikwu, who cited an alleged breach of confidentiality, and repeated adjournments caused by the prosecution’s inability to produce witnesses.
During his defence, Rabiu denied diverting the disputed properties, insisting that payments for the land were made from his personal bank account. His legal team also challenged the prosecution’s claims regarding the ownership of the properties and questioned the legal status of entities central to the case.
After nearly five years of proceedings, both parties adopted their final written addresses earlier this year, paving the way for Friday’s judgment.
With the acquittal, the long-running criminal trial against the former police officer has officially come to an end, with the court holding that the prosecution failed to establish its case beyond reasonable doubt.
