EFCC closes money laundering case of Lagos Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji
Ikuforiji is standing trial alongside his aide, Oyebode Atoyebi, on amended 56 counts bordering on money laundering.
The case which was initially scheduled for the prosecution to call its third witness, did not go on as earlier planned.
The prosecutor, Chief Godwin Obla (SAN), informed the court of EFCC’s readiness to close its case.
He said having reviewed the case of the prosecution against the accused so far, he was of the opinion that the prosecution should close its case at this stage.
In his response, the defence counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), on a lighter note, said he had not been informed of the position, adding that he had come “fully prepared” for the case.
Following the consent of both prosecuting and defence counsel, Justice Ibrahim Buba, adjourned the case to July 7 for hearing of a no-case submission filed by the defence counsel.
The EFCC called two witnesses against the speaker and his aide. The witnesses are Adebayo Adeniyi, an investigating police officer with the EFCC and Mr Adewale Olatunji, a former Clerk/Permanent Secretary of the House.
The accused were re-arraigned before Buba on June 24, 2013 following the retirement of Justice Okechukwu Okeke, the former trial judge.
Ikuforiji and Atoyebi had pleaded not guilty to all the counts, while Buba granted them bail in the sum of N1bn each with two sureties each in the sum of N500m.
In the charge, the accused were alleged to have committed the offences between April 2010 and July 2011.
They were alleged to have illegally accepted cash payments of over N273m from the House without going through a financial institution.
Ikuforiji was also alleged to have used his position to misappropriate about N500m.
The offence contravenes Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011.
Comments
Post a Comment
Be sociable, share your opinion!
Post a Comment :)