A former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, praised the court decision that supported his argument that there was no case against him in the charges brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
He made a statement titled 'I've been proven right' and gave it to the press after the court ruling.
A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, released the senior advocate from money laundering charges brought by the EFCC.
The presiding judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, said, "I find that there is no evidence to prove the alleged offences against the first defendant (Adoke)."
The anti-graft agency accused Adoke of taking a cash payment equal to N300 million in dollars from Aliyu Abubakar in August 2013 in Abuja.
This action is considered a crime under Section 16(2)(b) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as amended.
The former AGF said that the Federal High Court upheld the No-case Submission he made to the charges from the EFCC for his involvement in the 2006 Settlement Agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria and Malabu Oil & Gas Limited over the disputed ownership of OPL 245.
"It has been a difficult experience that has lasted for over nine years due mainly to the actions of the prosecution, which quickly filed charges against me to satisfy some narrow political interests but then hesitated to prove their case due to lack of evidence.
The trial became a political witch hunt and scapegoatism, as the EFCC wanted to bring corruption charges against me to support the Federal Government's claims regarding the Settlement Agreement in foreign countries such as Milan, Italy, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom.
He mentioned that the case has deprived him of his career as a lawyer and arbitrator since 2016, and impacted his personal life and reputation.
"God was kind to me by granting me good health and friends who helped me in various ways," he said.
He said he had the option of pursuing legal action over his experience.
"Now that the trial is over, I have the option of suing the Nigerian state and all those who contributed to my ordeal.
"While thinking about the next steps, I leave all my critics to their conscience and the judgment of posterity.
“Despite my ordeal, my faith in the Nigeria project is not misplaced or shaken. I will continue to contribute my quota to the progress and development of our great country," Adoke concluded.