The four companies charged with money laundering,
alongside a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Goodluck
Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, have pleaded guilty to the offence.
The four companies pleaded guilty to conspiring with
Dudafa; a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs; and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku, to
launder a sum of $15,591,700 on or about November 13, 2013.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, while
arraigning the seven accused before a Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday,
told the court that the $15.6m was proceeds of theft.
Though Dudafa, Briggs and Bolodeoku pleaded not
guilty to the amended 15 counts pressed against them by the EFCC, the four
companies charged along with them owned up to committing the offence.
The four companies pleaded guilty to conspiring with
Dudafa and the two others to launder a sum of $15,591,700 before a
Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday.
The companies are: Pluto Property and Investment
Company Limited; Seagate Property Development & Investment Co. Limited;
Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited; and Avalon Global Property
Development Company Limited.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had
since frozen the $15.6m found in the four companies’ accounts in Skye Bank.
But wife of ex-President Jonathan, Patience, has
sued the EFCC and Skye Bank, laying claims to the money.
”Up till this very moment, EFCC has refused to
interrogate or invite her for questioning.” Meanwhile, counsel representing the
second and third accused, Messrs Tochukwu Onyiuke, and Joseph Okebiemen
informed the court of a bail application filed on behalf of their clients,
adding that same had not been opposed. They urged the court to admit the
accused to bail on liberal terms. Counsel to the first accused, Mr Gboyega
Oyewole, also informed the court that his client was already on bail on
existing conditions granted by a another judge and urged the court to allow his
client enjoy same bail standing. Justice Kuewumi declined granting bail to the
first accused and ordered him to file a formal application for bail before the
court.
The court, however, granted bail to the second and third accused in the
sum of N250 million with one surety in like sum.
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