Alleged money laundering: Court adjourns EFCC’s suit against Yahaya Bello until to Jan. 21

A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, adjourned hearing in the money laundering case preferred against the immediate-past Governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) until Jan. 21, 2025.Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter after EFCC’s counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, and the ex-governor’s lawyer, Michael Adoyi, made their submissions in favour and against an application by the anti-graft agency.At the resumed hearing, Pinheiro told Justuce Emeka Nwite that he had two witnesses already in court.He, however, told the court that he had two…

Read More

Ex-Petroleum Minister, Diezani’s suit against EFCC suffers setback

A suit filed by the former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to challenge the order obtained by the EFCC for final forfeiture of her seized assets, was on Monday stalled at a Federal High Court, Abuja. The matter, which was before Justice Inyang Ekwo, was fixed for further mention in the day’s cause list. However, the case could not proceed because the court did not sit. Justice Ekwo was said to be attending a seminar at the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja. The matter was subsequently fixed for Nov.…

Read More

Alleged money laundering: Court adjourns Ali Bello, co-defendants’ trial until Sept. 24

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, adjourned the alleged money laundering trial of Ali Bello and his co-defendants until Sept. 24 for trial continuation. Justice Obiora Egwuatu adjourned the matter after defence counsel, Nureini Jimoh, SAN, concluded the cross-examination of the EFCC’s 2nd prosecution witness (PW2), Olomotane Egoro, and was re-examined by the anti-graft agency’s lawyer, Abbas Mohammed. Justice Egwuatu, who discharged Egoro, an Access Bank Complaint Officer, from the witness box, adjourned the matter until Sept. 24 and Sept. 26 for trial. It will be recalled that the…

Read More

Wife, son beg for mercy as court convicts Okupe over N240m fraud

Wife and son of Mr Doyin Okupe, former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan. Doyin Okupe, on Monday, begged a Federal High Court, Abuja to tamper justice with mercy on his sentencing. Omolola and Adesunkanmi Okupe spoke as witnesses shortly after the court reconvened following the defendant’s conviction. The court, presided over by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, had convicted Okupe for breaching the Money Laundering Act. Justice Ojukwu, in a judgment, held that Okupe was found guilty of contravening Sections 16(1)&(2) of the Money Laundering Act, for…

Read More

NJC orders reinstatement of Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has ordered the immediate reinstatement of Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia as a judge of the Federal High Court (FHC).This was made known in a circular issued by the Chief Judge of FHC, Justice John Tsoho, on Dec. 5 notifying judges of the court about the development.The NJC took the decision on Dec 1 during a meeting it held.Justice Tsoho’s circular reads: “Your lordships are, by this circular letter, notified that at the meeting of the National Judicial Council held on the 1st of December, 2022, the…

Read More

EFCC to rearraign ex-Lagos A-G, Shasore, in Abuja on money laundry

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will today, Friday, arraign a former Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Olasupo Shasore, SAN, before a Federal High Court, Abuja. Shasore will be arraigned alongside a company, Middlesex Investments Ltd., before Justice Inyang Ekwo on 14-count charge bordering on money laundering. While the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the complainant in the charge number: FHC/ABJ/CR/386/22 filed on Aug. 17 by the EFCC’s counsel, Bala Sanga, Middlesex Investments Ltd and Shasore are 1st and 2nd defendants respectively. Shasore is said to…

Read More

I’ve no case to answer, Adoke’s co-defendant tells court on money laundry

Mr Aliyu Abubakar, a co-defendant in the alleged money laundering trial of the former Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, on Wednesday, told a Federal High Court, Abuja that he had no case to answer in the matter.Abubakar’s counsel, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, made this known to Justice Inyang Ekwo during the adoption of the final written addresses of parties in the tria-within-trial after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) closed its case.Olanipekun, in his argument, said that the extra-judicial statements obtained from his client by the officers of the EFCC,…

Read More

EFCC officer threatened me to indict Jonathan, Adoke, witness tells court

Mr Aliyu Abubakar, a defence witness in the trial-within-trial of the former Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke told a Federal High Court, Abuja that an EFCC officer threatened him to indict former President Goodluck Jonathan in alleged money laundering.Abubakar, who is also a co-defendant in the suit, told Justice Inyang Ekwo while being led in evidence by his counsel, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, that the officer, Mr Bala Sanga, also threatened him to indict the minister.Adoke was the Minister of Justice during President Jonathan’s administration between April 6, 2010 and April…

Read More

Court dismisses N3bn money laundering suit against ex-PPMC MD’s wife, 5 others

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, dismissed the money laundering suit filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) against Mrs. Ochuko Momoh.Momoh is the wife of a former Managing Director of Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, Haruna.Justice Taiwo Taiwo, in a judgment, discharged and acquitted Momoh and five others on the 22-count charge preferred against them on the grounds that the prosecution failed to prove its case against the defendants beyond reasonable doubts.Justice Taiwo stressed that the ICPC could not discharge its burden of…

Read More

FG files application for Abba Kyari’s extradition to U.S.

The Federal Government has filed an application for the commencement of extradition process of suspended DCP Abba Kyari in the Federal High Court Abuja.The Federal Government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), filed the application on Wednesday marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022.It was filed under the Extradition Act, as part of Nigeria government’s approval of the request by the U. S. for Kyari’s extradition.Kyari, formerly the head of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, is to stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity…

Read More