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(1) A former governor of Imo State,
Ikedi Ohakim, at the Federal High Court, standing trial for money laundering,
in Abuja... on Wednesday. (2) A former Adamawa State governor, Murtala Nyanko,
at the Federal High Court, standing trial for corrupt enrichment, in Abuja
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The Economics and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arraigned former governors of Adamawa
State, Murtala Nyako, and Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, before the Federal High
Court in Abuja for alleged fraud charges.
Nyako, who was removed as
Adamawa State Governor by the state House of Assembly on July 15, 2014, was
arraigned along with his son, Abdulaziz, and others comprising, Zulkifikk Abba,
Abubakar Aliyu as well as five firms.
Abdulaziz is the senator
representing Adamawa Central in the National Assembly.
Nyako, his son and others
were arraigned before Justice Evoh Chukwu for fraud amounting to
N29,099,430,879.92.
Other firms arraigned along
with Nyako and his son, were Blue Opal Limited, Sebore Farms and Extension
Limited, Pagoda Fortunes Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited and Crust
Energy Limited.
All the accused persons
pleaded not guilty to the 37 counts and the judge subsequently ordered that
they be remanded in the EFCC custody pending the hearing of their bail
applications.
Simultaneously, the EFCC
arraigned Ohakim, who was governor of Imo State between May 2007 and May 2011,
on three counts of money laundering. He was accused of making cash payment of
$2,290,000 (an equivalent of N270,000,000) for the purchase of a property at
60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, at Plot No 1098, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro
District, Abuja.
In counts 30 to 35, Nyako
and his co-accused were accused of lodgments of money totalling about N836m
derived from the stealing of Adamawa State Government’s money into the account
of Sebore Farms and Extension Limited with Zenith Bank Plc.
It was alleged that the
money was paid into Sebore Farms’ account between February 9, 2012 and July 22,
2013 in the name of maintaining peace and security in the state and was placed
under Iro’s control “for private use as against the official use with the aim
of concealing the illicit origin of the said money.”
In counts 36 and 37, the
accused persons allegedly between February 9, 2012 and July 22, 2013 conspired
among themselves and did “by false pretence and with the intent to defraud the
Adamawa State Government delivered N847m to Sebore Farms and Extension” in the
name of maintaining peace and security in the state.”
The sum of N847m was said to
have been converted to a manager’s cheque in favour of Apo Federal Housing
Authority, Abuja, constituting an offence under section 8 (a) of the Advance
Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under section 1(3)
of the same Act.
Ohakim also pleaded not
guilty to the three counts of money laundering charges involving alleged making
cash payment of $2,290,000 (an equivalent of N270,000,000) for the purchase of
a property at 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, at Plot No 1,098, Cadastral Zone A04,
Asokoro District, Abuja.
The former governor, who was
accused of making the cash payment in November 2008, was also accused of
collaborating with Tweenex Consociates H.D. Ltd. to conceal or disguise the
ownership of the property which was allegedly derived from an illegal act.
The fraud was allegedly
perpetrated by the former governor “by instructing the drafting and signing of
a sales agreement over the said property between one Mukhtari Isa Maidabino and
Tweenex Consociates H.D. Limited and also a tenancy agreement between Tweenex
Consociates H.D. Ltd. and Chief Ikedi Ohakim over the same property” on
November 14, 2008.
The first and second counts
were said to have violated section 15(1)(d) and section 14(1)(b) of the Money
Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004, respectively.
In the third count, Ohakim
was accused of failing to make a full disclosure of his assets by not declaring
his ownership of the said property while he was under arrest by the EFCC on
January 26, 2013.
The prosecuting counsel for
the EFCC, Mr. Yusuf Aliyu, had immediately after Nyako and his co-accused
pleaded not guilty to the 37 counts, called the first prosecution witness to
enter the witness box.
But the defence counsel,
Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), pleaded for time to get familiarised with the charge
which he said was just served on him on Tuesday.
The EFCC counsel also said
he needed time to respond to the bail application filed by the accused persons.
Justice Adeniyi Ademola also
adjourned hearing of the bail application filed by Ohakim, who is being prosecuted
by Festus Keyamo, till Thursday (today).
In the separate proceedings,
Justice Chukwu and Justice Ademola ordered the accused persons to be remanded
in the EFCC custody pending the hearing of their bail applications.
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