A federal high court Sitting in Lagos has ordered the
remand of Peter Nwaoboshi, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator
from Delta state, in Ikoyi prison, Lagos.
The remand order follows the arraignment of the senator by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of
fraud.
Last week, the anti-graft agency arrested Nwaoboshi whose name
is on the looters list recently released by the federal
government.
Nwaoboshi represents Delta north senatorial district in the
upper legislative chamber.
The EFCC arraigned Nwaoboshi over an alleged N805 million
fraud.
He was arraigned on a two-count charge of money laundering and
fraud alongside two companies namely: Golden Touch Construction
Project Ltd and Suiming Electrical Ltd.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In the charge No: FHC/L/117C/2018, the EFCC alleged that the
accused committed the offences between May and June 2014 in
Lagos.
Nwaoboshi was said to have acquired a property described as
Guinea House, Marine Road, in Apapa Lagos, for the sum of N805
million when he reasonably ought to have known that N322 million
out of the purchase sum formed part of proceeds of an unlawful
act.
The sum was said to have been transferred to the vendors by
order of Suiming Electrical Ltd.
Suiming Electrical was said to have on May 14, 2014, aided
Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch to commit money laundering.
The offences contravened the provisions of Sections 15(2), (d) ,
15 (3) and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act
201.
After his plea, MS Abubakar, the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) prosecutor, told the court that in view of their
pleas, a date for trial should be given.
Meanwhile, JO Azinge, who appeared for the first accused, urged
the court to grant Nwaoboshi bail on liberal terms.
But the prosecutor opposed the application and said that the
application was not yet ripe for hearing considering the fact that
the commission was served with the motion on April 24.
“The prosecution is currently filling its processes at the
registry of the court,” he told the court.
Replying, Azinge insisted that the prosecution was served with
the application on April 23 but refused service.
She added that the bailiff of the court attempted service at
their office but same was refused and the bailiff deposed to an
affidavit of service.
She argued: “The court does not wait for the indolent neither
does equity … the charge has been lingering and the defence is
prepared to proceed; the court can stand down the case to enable
prosecution file its papers.”
In response, the prosecutor argued that he was not aware that
service was refused by the commission.
According to him, from the charge, it is clear that such service
ought to have been served at the Abuja office of the commission and
not Lagos.
The prosecutor said even if service was properly effected, same
was still not ripe for hearing as the rules provide for two clear
days.
He submitted that the prosecution was also ready to proceed with
trial, but said the court could stand down the case if the defence
so wishes.
Mohammed Idris, the judge, initially stood down the case until
11am to hear the applications. He later said the lawmaker should be
kept in Ikoyi prison till Friday.
A federal high court Sitting in Lagos has ordered the
remand of Peter Nwaoboshi, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator
from Delta state, in Ikoyi prison, Lagos.
The remand order follows the arraignment of the senator by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of
fraud.
Last week, the anti-graft agency arrested Nwaoboshi whose name
is on the looters list recently released by the federal
government.
Nwaoboshi represents Delta north senatorial district in the
upper legislative chamber.
The EFCC arraigned Nwaoboshi over an alleged N805 million
fraud.
He was arraigned on a two-count charge of money laundering and
fraud alongside two companies namely: Golden Touch Construction
Project Ltd and Suiming Electrical Ltd.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In the charge No: FHC/L/117C/2018, the EFCC alleged that the
accused committed the offences between May and June 2014 in
Lagos.
Nwaoboshi was said to have acquired a property described as
Guinea House, Marine Road, in Apapa Lagos, for the sum of N805
million when he reasonably ought to have known that N322 million
out of the purchase sum formed part of proceeds of an unlawful
act.
The sum was said to have been transferred to the vendors by
order of Suiming Electrical Ltd.
Suiming Electrical was said to have on May 14, 2014, aided
Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch to commit money laundering.
The offences contravened the provisions of Sections 15(2), (d) ,
15 (3) and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act
201.
After his plea, MS Abubakar, the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) prosecutor, told the court that in view of their
pleas, a date for trial should be given.
Meanwhile, JO Azinge, who appeared for the first accused, urged
the court to grant Nwaoboshi bail on liberal terms.
But the prosecutor opposed the application and said that the
application was not yet ripe for hearing considering the fact that
the commission was served with the motion on April 24.
“The prosecution is currently filling its processes at the
registry of the court,” he told the court.
Replying, Azinge insisted that the prosecution was served with
the application on April 23 but refused service.
She added that the bailiff of the court attempted service at
their office but same was refused and the bailiff deposed to an
affidavit of service.
She argued: “The court does not wait for the indolent neither
does equity … the charge has been lingering and the defence is
prepared to proceed; the court can stand down the case to enable
prosecution file its papers.”
In response, the prosecutor argued that he was not aware that
service was refused by the commission.
According to him, from the charge, it is clear that such service
ought to have been served at the Abuja office of the commission and
not Lagos.
The prosecutor said even if service was properly effected, same
was still not ripe for hearing as the rules provide for two clear
days.
He submitted that the prosecution was also ready to proceed with
trial, but said the court could stand down the case if the defence
so wishes.
Mohammed Idris, the judge, initially stood down the case until
11am to hear the applications. He later said the lawmaker should be
kept in Ikoyi prison till Friday.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/just-in-court-remands-sen-nwaoboshi-in-prison/