$205m fraud: Absence of judge stalls arraignment of ex-NIA D-G, wife

The absence of Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of a Federal High Court
in Lagos, Monday, stalled the arraignment of former
Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb.
Ayo Oke and his wife Folashade, over 205 million dollars crime
concealment.

The defendants are charged before Justice Aneke by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on counts of Money
Laundering, fraud, concealment of crime proceeds, and criminal
breech of trust.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the case which was
earlier billed for arraignment of the defendants, was on Monday,
further adjourned to a date that will be communicated to parties,
as the court did not sit.

The judge is said to away on an of official assignment.

On Feb. 7, the court had issued a bench warrant for the arrest
and production in court of the defendants, following an application
moved by the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo.

According to the charge, on April 12, 2017, the accused
indirectly concealed the sum of 43.5 million dollars, property of
the Federal Government of Nigeria in Flat 7B, No. 16, Osborne Road,
Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The accused were also alleged to have between Aug. 25, 2015 and
Sept. 2, 2015 in Lagos, indirectly used the sum of 1.7 million
dollars, property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to acquire
Flat 7B, No. 16, Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The prosecution also alleged that the defendant directly
converted the sum of 160.8 million dollars property of the Federal
Government of Nigeria, to their own use .

The prosecution said that the defendant reasonably ought to have
known that the said sums formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful
act of criminal breach of trust and concealment of crime
proceeds.

The offence, the EFCC said, contravened the provisions of
sections 15, 15 (2), 15(2)(d) and 15 (3) of the Money laundering
prohibition Act, 2015.