Details As EFCC Re-arraigns Ex-Minister, Akinjide, Two PDP Chieftains In Alleged N650m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, on Wednesday, June 26, 2019, re-arraigned a former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Jumoke Akinjide, before Justice C. Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on an amended 24-count charge bordering on fraud and money laundering to the tune of N650m (Six Hundred and Fifty Million Naira).

Akinjide was re-arraigned alongside Senator Ayo Adeseun, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who represented Oyo Central Senatorial District between 2011 and 2015, and Olanrewaju Otiti , also a chieftain of the PDP in Oyo State.

The defendants were first arraigned on January 16, 2018, before Justice M.S. Hassan of the same court on an amended 24-count charge.

The defendants allegedly received the money from the sum of $115m disbursed by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to influence the outcome of the 2015 Presidential election.

At the proceedings today, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, urged the court to cause the fresh plea of the defendants to be taken.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke (still at large), Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, Senator Ayo Ademola Adeseun and Chief Olanrewaju Otiti, on or about the 26th day of March, 2015, in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to directly take possession of a sum of N650,000,000 which you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) and 4 of the same Act.”

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them.

Akinjide’s counsel, Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, moved an oral application seeking the court to allow his client to continue to enjoy the existing bail granted to her by the former trial Judge, Justice Hassan.

Adesun’s lawyer, Michael Lana, as well as Otiti’s lawyer, Oladiji Akinola, respectively prayed the court to also allow their clients to continue to enjoy the existing bail granted them by Justice Hassan.

In his response, the prosecution counsel urged the court to impose fresh bail conditions that will ensure the presence of the defendants in court for their trial.

Oyedepo said: “My Lord, the prosecution is worried about how this case has travelled from Ibadan to Lagos.

“My Lord is the fourth Judge who will handle this case at the instant of the defence.

“Our fear is that these defendants are interfering with the quick dispensation of justice in this case and the interest of justice will be better served if the defendants file a motion for bail, so that we can respond to it by placing the reason the defendants should not be granted bail.

“We can only place that fact before my Lord by way of affidavit.”

In his short ruling, Justice Aneke granted the oral application of the defendants to continue on the existing bail earlier granted to them by the former trial judge.

The Judge held that ” I have perused the submissions of respective counsels, and I am of the view that bail should not be used to serve as a punishment on the defendants whom the Constitution presumes innocent until otherwise proven.

“Consequently, I order that the defendants should continue on the existing bail earlier granted to them by Justice Muslim Sule Hassan”.

The defendants also informed the court of their motion challenging the constitutionality of the charge.
Justice Aneke adjourned the case to September 30, and October 11, 2019.