EFCC arraigns Lagos Speaker, aid for money laundering.

Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, was yesterday arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of money laundering .

The Speaker, whose arraignment was delayed for over a month because the former judge, Justice John Tsoho, hearing the case withdrew, was arraigned alongside his Personal Assistant, Oyebode Alade Atoyebi, on an amended 20-count charge of laundering over N501 million.

Justice Tsoho did not give any reason for his action but the development later prompted the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to re-assign the case to another judge, Justice Okechukwu Okeke.

When the matter came up for hearing yesterday, EFCC’s lawyer, Godwin Obla, told the new judge of the existence of the charge, and asked that it should be read to the accused persons.

The defence team, led by Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), did not object the application.

The 20-count charge was subsequently read to the accused persons, while they pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

After the arraignment, Oyetibo prayed the court to grant bail to the accused persons on self recognition as the third citizen in Lagos State, and an aide to Speaker.

While Obla did not oppose bail application for the Speaker, he, however, urged the court to impose bail conditions on the bail to be granted to Atoyebi.

In his ruling, Justice Okeke granted bail to Ikuforiji on self recognition, while the Clerk of the Assembly, Segun Habiru, stood as surety for Atoyebi.

The matter was adjourned till March 26 and 27 for trial.

According to the charge sheet, which was signed by one Mary Onoja, the EFCC alleged that Ikuforiji and Atoyebi conspired among themselves between April, 2010 and July, 2011 to do an illegal act by accepting various cash payments amounting in the aggregate of N273,303,780,00 from the Assembly without going through a financial institution.

The  offence, according to the anti-graft agency, is contrary to and punishable under Sections 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 and punishable under Sections 16 (2) (b) of the same Act.