The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned a former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim; former governor of Adamawa State, Alhaji Murtala Nyako; his son, Senator Abdulaziz Nyako of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and two others over money laundering related offences.
While Ohakim was arraigned on a three-count charge before Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Nyako, his son and two others were arraigned before Justice Evoh Chukwu of the same court on a 37-count charge also bothering on corruption. Ohakim pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge. Counsel to the accused, Chris Uche (SAN), thereafter moved an oral bail application. The court, however, asked him to come formerly.
The trial judge, Justice Ademola Adeniyi, later adjourned till today to hear the bail application. He ordered that the accused be remanded in the EFCC custody. Similarly, Nyako and three other accused persons pleaded not guilty to the 37-count charge bothering on the misappropriation of over N40 billion when it was read to them.
Nyako and three others were alleged to have at various times between 2011 and 2013 used five companies – Blue Opal Nigeria limited, Serore Farms & Extension Limited, Pagoda Fortunes Limited, Towers Assets Management Limited and Crust Energy Limited to siphon over N15 billion from the Adamawa State coffers.
One of the counts reads: “That you Murtala H. Nyako, Abdulaziz Nyako, Zulkfikik Abba, Abubakar Aliyu, Blue Opal Limited, Sebore Farms & Extension Limited, Pagoda Fortunes Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited and Crust Energy Limited between January and December 2013 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did disguise the genuine origin of an aggregate sum of N6,366,280,000, which sums you reasonably ought to have known to be proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit; monies derived from the theft of Adamawa State Government’s funds.”
The court thereafter adjourned the bail application till Friday and ordered that the accused be remanded in the EFCC custody. Speaking after the court session, Nyako said the charge against him is very ridiculous and that the allocation given to Adamawa State was not up to N40 billion which he is being tried for.
He, however, stated that he is ready for the trial. Prosecution counsel, Aliyu Yusuf, had earlier told the court that the commission was ready to continue with the trial and that one of its witnesses was in court. Defence counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), however informed the court that he had just been served with the charge and will need to go through before the prosecution will start calling its witness.
He therefore sought for an adjournment. Part of the charge slammed on Ohakim reads: “That you Ikedi Ohakim, on or about the month of November, 2008 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court made a cash payment of $2,290,000 which was then equivalent of about N270 million for the purchase of the property known and described as Plot No. 1098, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, also known as No. 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, Asokoro, Abuja, which amount exceeded the amount authorised for an individual by Section 1 of Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004, and thereby committed an offence contrary to the saidsection and punishable by section 15(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004″.
In the case summary against Ohakim, Prosecution counsel, Festus Keyamo submitted that the case is of conspiracy, abuse of office, misappropriation of public funds and money laundering reported to the anti-graft agency by 27 persons, each representing the 27 Local Government Councils of Imo State under the auspices of ‘Alliance of Redemption and Destiny Organisations’ against the former governor.
The prosecution also alleged that Ohakim fraudulently entered into a tenancy agreement with Tweenex Consociate Nig. Ltd for a two-year rent of the said property for the sum of N20 million.
It was also alleged among others that the accused did not declare his Asokoro property to the Code of Conduct Bureau and also EFCC Assets Declaration Form.
Meanwhile, EFCC is expected to arraign former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido and his sons on money laundering charges in Kano today.
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