Senator Dino Melaye has finally been acquitted in the last of twelve cases filed against him by the Federal Government, bringing an end to a six-year-long legal battle.
Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama delivered the verdict, dismissing two charges that accused Melaye of providing false information about an alleged assassination attempt in 2017.
The case began in February 2018 when Melaye was accused of falsely implicating Edward Onoja, the former Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, in the assassination plot.
Melaye was formally charged by the Attorney General’s Office in January 2018 for making false claims about the assassination attempt in his hometown, Ayetoro-Gbede, Kogi State. He pleaded not guilty to the charges on March 1, 2018.
However, the case faced several delays, including the untimely death of Justice Aromeh Benson Akogu, the initial judge overseeing the matter. Melaye also made other claims of assassination attempts, accusing the Kogi State police command of trying to kill him during a ‘stop and search’ operation in July 2018, and accusing the Kogi State government of conspiring against him in March 2019.
Following his acquittal, Melaye took to social media to express gratitude to his legal team and reaffirm his faith in divine justice.
He wrote, “Justice served after six years. Justice delayed is never justice denied. God alone be praised,” Melaye stated, adding, “SEN. DINO MELAYE 12 – FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND IGP 0. 12 CASES ALL WON BY GOD.”
Melaye’s acquittal marks the end of a long and trying journey, during which he maintained his innocence and faith in justice.
His legal battles have been well-documented, with controversies surrounding his certificate scandal and allegations of operating foreign bank accounts.
Despite these challenges, Melaye has remained a prominent figure in Nigerian politics, serving as a senator and representing Kogi West Senatorial district.