A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in the Bwara Division, has dismissed a fraud case filed against the Chairman of Zinox Technologies, Leo Stan Ekeh; his wife, Chioma Ekeh; and 11 others.
Justice Akpan Okon Ebong, in his ruling on Suit No. CR/985/2024, declared that the case “constitutes a gross abuse of court process and is liable to dismissal. I accordingly hereby dismiss it.”
The case was filed in November 2024 by Femi Falana (SAN), who acted under a fiat granted by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN). The case named Ekeh and 12 others as defendants, including Chris Ozims, Oyebode Folashade, Charles Adigwe, Obilo Onuoha, Agartha Ukoha, Anya Anya, Femi Dosumu, Nnenna Kalu, Admas Digital Technologies Limited, Technology Distributions Limited, and Zinox Technologies Limited.
Falana’s fiat authorized him to refile and prosecute a previous case (Charge No. CR/827/2013) involving the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the legal adviser of Zinox Technologies, Chris Ozims, along with six others. The case was based on allegations by Joseph Benjamin, CEO of Citadel Oracle Concept Limited, regarding the diversion of ₦162,247,513.80 — payment for a laptop supply contract at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Headquarters in 2012, which Technology Distribution Ltd (now TD Africa) had supplied on behalf of Citadel.
Justice Ebong criticized Falana for expanding the list of defendants from seven to 13. In his ruling on March 20, 2025, Justice Ebong stated, “The mere fact that a lawyer has been granted a fiat by the HAGF (Fagbemi) will not turn him into a Knight Errant, like Don Quixote, going everywhere looking for suspected criminals to prosecute.”
He emphasized that Falana was only authorized to refile and prosecute the original case and had no power to modify the charge or add defendants. “The Charge No. CR/827/2013 which he was asked to handle has just seven persons listed as defendants, whereas the instant charge filed by him has 13 defendants, almost double the number of persons he was authorised to prosecute,” the judge added.
Justice Ebong concluded that the case constituted a “gross abuse of court process” and dismissed it. He also noted that no law enforcement agency had found merit in the allegations against the defendants and condemned the attempt to maintain a “campaign of persecution” against them.
