Suiming Electrical Limited v. Federal Republic Of Nigeria & Ors (2025)

LAWGLOBAL HUB Lead Judgment Report – SUPREME COURT

MOHAMMED LAWAL GARBA, JCA (Delivering the leading judgment)

This is the sister appeal to appeal No. SC/CR/898/2022 both of which arose from the decision of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, delivered on the 1st July, 2022.

As shown in the judgment in appeal No. SC/CR/898/2022, the grounds of appeal and all the issues canvassed by the parties to this appeal and the appeal No: SC/CR/900/2022, which was determined earlier by the court on the 7th July, 2023, are exactly the same.

With the complete, total, effectual and final determination of the issues in the appeal No: SC/CR/900/2022 the decision/judgment in that appeal has sealed the fate of this appeal and the appeal No: SC/CR/898/2022 since the court is bound by that earlier/previous decision.

See Braithwaite v. Skye Bank, Plc (2013) 15 WRN 27, FBN, Plc v. Maiwada (2013) 32 WRN 31, Ado v. State (2017) 15 NWLR (Pt. 1587) 65 (SC), A-G., Bauchi State v. Federation (2018) 17 NWLR (Pt. 1648) 299 (SC), Jibrin v. FRN (2021) 20 WRN 88.

In these premises, that decision and the decision/judgment in the appeal No: SC/CR/898/2022 bind on this appeal, thereby obviating the need to merely repeat a consideration of the issues and arguments canvassed that have already been determined by the court.

Accordingly, there is merit in the appeal and it is allowed in terms of both the judgment in appeals No. SC/CR/900/2022 and SC/CR/898/2022.

In consequence wherefore, the decision of the court below delivered on the 1st July, 2022 by which the appellant herein along with the 2nd and 3rd respondents were convicted and sentenced for the offences of money laundering and abetting money laundering is hereby set aside.

The judgment of the trial court delivered on the 18th of June, 2021 is hereby restored. The appellant is acquitted and discharged of the offence it was charged with.

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Other Citation: (2025) 15 E-WRN / 06 (SC)

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