Court Discharge, Acquits Farah Dagogo Of Criminal Charges Preferred Against Him

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has discharged Farah Dagogo, a former governorship aspirant, acquitting him of the criminal charges preferred against him.

Farah Dagogo was a member of the House of Representatives, who represented Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency in the Ninth Assembly when the immediate past administration of the state government, led by Nyesom Wike, preferred criminal charges against him.

It was on April 28, 2022 that Farah Dagogo was arrested in Port Harcourt for appearing for screening as a PDP governorship aspirant.

For his insistence to participate in that process, as alleged, he had been declared wanted by the Rivers State government under Nyesom Wike.

Specifically, Farah Dagogo was accused of sponsoring thugs and cultists to disrupt the PDP screening exercise for National Assembly and State Assembly aspirants.

The allegation, however, was vehemently denied by Farah Dagogo who insisted that all the trump-up charges were calculated to prevent him from contesting for the governorship in the 2023 General election.

But on Monday, 24th 2024, when the case with suit No, PHC/1440/CR/2022- ‘The State v Hon Farah Dagogo’, was attended to, the trial judge, Justice Chinwendu Nworgu expressed dismay that the prosecution was not diligent.

Justice Nworgu, therefore, discharged the case and acquitted the Farah Dagogo of all the charges.

Before this latest ruling, Dr. Farah Dagogo had been on bail since June 2022, after spending 63 days in detention at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre.

The lead counsel to Farah Dagogo, Sir Cosmas Enweluzo, SAN, spoke to newsmen after the court session.

He said the ruling has freed Farah Dagogo of all encumberances as the case cannot be resurrected in any court of law in the country.

”The court dismissing the charge and discharging and acquitting the defendant means the matter has just ended.

“And this is premised on the fact that there is absolute lack of diligent prosecution.

”The prosecution has lost its steam and so because of that, the court cannot forever keep an accused or defendant perpetually attending the court, restraining his movements and stopping him from using his precious time and subjecting everything about him to abysmal waste.

”As a result of that, the court, after its consideration, struck out the charges and then discharged and acquitted the defendant.

“That means that no means or form of other charges can be brought up in any court of law against Hon. Doctor Farah Dagogo as a result of this charge.

”Any further action taken will be seen as double jeopardy because of the fact that decision has been taken in this matter.

“In order words, the decision has rested the case fully and finally, not to resurrect again,” the added.