Embattled Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji and his Personal Assistant, Oyebode Alade Atoyebi were on Monday re-arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, based on a 54-count criminal charge bordering on money laundering slammed on them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
They were granted bail in the sum of N1bn each before the case was adjourned till September 25, 2013 for commencement of trial.
Justice Okechukwu Okeke, who had earlier presided over the case, had adjourned the trial indefinitely just days to his resignation.
The case was the re-assigned to Justice Ibrahim Buba, who presided over the re-arraignment of the case that was amended with additional 34 counts by the EFCC counsel, Godwin Obla, to amount to 54.
Part of the new charge accused the speaker and Atoyebi of transacting business to the tune of N518m between 2010 and 2011 without going through any financial institution thus committing an offence contrary to Money Laundering Act.
When they pleaded not guilty to all the charges read before them, their counsel, Tayo Oyetibo, who lead two other senior lawyers, Tunde Akinrinmisi and Abiodun Onidare, explained that Ikuforiji and his aide were already on bail and that this was why they did not officially apply for bail.
Oyetibo said the speaker’s bail was on self-recognition, but that Clerk of Lagos State House of Assembly, Segun Abiru stood as surety for the second accused person.
Explaining the current situation, the trial judge asked Oyetibo tomake a fresh application for bail, as he was not bound in his handling of the case by the previous bail.
Counsel to the EFCC did not object to the bail application but only expressed interest in the continuation of the case. The judge therefore granted them bail in the sum of N5bn with two sureties in like sum. These sureties must also file affidavit of means while the accused must sign an undertaking of coming to court regularly.
Another condition given by the judge was that the bail condition must be perfected within 48 hours else, the speaker and his aide would be remanded in prison custody after a bench warrant is issued against them.
The other two counsels to the speaker and his aide appealed to court to vary the bail conditions, a request which the judge considered by reducing the bail from N5 billion to N1 billion.
Ikuforiji and Atoyebi were arraigned for their alleged involvement in laundering over N273million belonging to the Lagos State House of Assembly, an offence contrary to Sections 18(A) of the Money laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 and punishable under Section 16(2)(B) of the same Act.
They both pleaded not guilty to an amended 54-count charge and have been granted bail in the sum of N1billion each.
