Supreme Court Orders Re-trial of Mohammed Abacha

Says ‘I Have Immunity’

The Supreme Court, sitting in Abuja, Nigeria on Friday morning ordered re-trial of Mohammed Abacha, son of late former Head of state, General Sani Abacha at an Abuja High Court on a 123 count criminal charge brought against him by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Abacha is alleged to have taken possession of properties belonging to the Federal Government after inheriting the properties allegedly coveted by his father while he held sway as Head of State.

Abacha had argued that the immunity enjoyed by his father while in office extended to him and that having forfeited some of the family’s properties confiscated by the government, he should be exempted from prosecution in line with the he provisions of Decree number 53 of 1999.

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The court held that immunity does not extend beyond the tenure of office and that even if the late head of state were alive, he can be prosecuted for a criminal offence not to talk f his son who was never an occupant of the office of the Head of state.