Mohammed Adoke. Channels TV/ Sodiq Adelakun.
The former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr.
Mohammed Adoke, has pleaded not guilty to the amended charges of
money laundering.
Mr. Adoke is being re-arraigned alongside Aliyu Abubakar who is
an Abuja based businessman before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the
Federal High Court in Abuja.
During sitting on Tuesday, the defendants pleaded not guilty to
the 14 count charge filed against them.
EFCC Files Amended Charges Against Ex- AGF
Adoke
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had in June
filed an additional seven charges against the former AGF over money
laundering allegations involving about N400 million.
during one of his trials
Mr Adoke’s trial was expected to begin on Monday (yesterday) but
it was stalled due to the amended charges.
The initial charge contained seven counts, with six of them
relating to Mr. Adoke.
At the resumed trial, the prosecutor, Bala Sanga, informed the
court of an amended charge he filed on July 29 which was served on
all the defendants.
The trial judge, Justice Ekwo who frowned at the late filing of
the amended charge adjourned the trial till Tuesday on the ground
that he is yet to sight the amended charges.
In the former seven counts, the EFCC alleged that the defendants
committed the money laundering offences involving over N400 million
in Abuja in September 2013.
In the counts relating to Mr Adoke, he was accused of among
others, receiving the dollar equivalent of N300 million from
Abubakar, paying the dollar equivalent of N367,318,800 to one Usman
Mohammed Bello, and allegedly using the sum of N300 million, which
was alleged to be part of the proceeds of unlawful activities, all
in violations of various provisions of the Money Laundering
Prohibition Act, 2011.
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READ ALSO: Alleged Money Laundering: EFCC
Files Amended Charges Against Ex- AGF Adoke
The former AGF was also accused of making “structured cash
payments, in 22 tranches” amounting to N80 million, another of such
structured payments in 13 tranches summing up to N50 million into
his Unity Bank account.
The commission alleged that the funds were not only part of the
proceeds of unlawful acts but they also exceeded “thresholds
outside a financial institution,” and that the payments were done
with the intention of concealing the origins of the funds contrary
to Section 15(2(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 and
punishable under section 15(3) of the same law.
He was granted bail by the Federal High Court in Abuja on
February 10, 2020, in the sum of N50m with one surety in like
sum.
The court has however fixed August 11, 12, and 13 for the trial
of the former AGF and Mr. Abubakar.
Read more https://swordpress.com.ng/2020/08/04/former-agf-adoke-pleads-not-guilty-to-money-laundering-charges/