A United States court has let go the suit against Olalekan Ponle, better known as Mr. Woodberry, a Nigerian alleged of multi-million dollar wire fraud.
It would be remembered that Mr Woodberry was alleged of playing trick on a Chicago company into sending wire transfers to the tune of $15.2 million.
Prosecutors revealed that companies located in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New York, and California were also victims of the fraud.
He was apprehended in the United Arab Emirates on June 10 after a raid by operatives of the Dubai crime unit, and later handed over to the U.S. on July 2.
Even though Mr Woodberry was indicted by a grand jury on an eight-count charge of wire fraud, the United States government on Monday, July 20th filed a motion through its attorney John R. Lausch, demanding that the case against him be dismissed without prejudice.
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Lausch said;
“Counsel for the government has spoken with counsel for the defendant and the defendant’s counsel has no objection to this motion. Respectfully submitted.”
He further stressed that the request was made in pursuant with Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure 48, which states that the government may, with leave of court, dismiss an indictment, information, or complaint.
A court order issued by Judge Robert W. Gettleman on Tuesday, July 21, established that the government’s motion to dismiss the complaint without prejudice was granted.
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Mr. Gentleman said;
“Without objection, the complaint against defendant Ponle is dismissed without prejudice. Motion presentment hearing set for 7/23/2020 is stricken.”
Since Woodberry’s case was let go without prejudice, it is only for the time being as the prosecutor can refile the case within a certain period of time.
The probable causes of dismissal range from non-existency of adequate evidence, an inaccurate criminal complaint or charging document, to loss of evidence necessary to prove beyond reasonable doubt the defendant committed the crime.
