5th July, 2012
Justice Ikechukwu Okeke of the Federal High Court in Lagos this afternoon ruled that the trial of the Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, for money laundering, will go on.
Dismissing an application by the speaker’s lawyer to quash the charge, Justice Okeke fixed 24 November for the beginning of the trial.
The judge faulted the argument of the defence counsel that trying the speaker for alleged offence is like committing the Lagos State Government on trial.
The court said the charge was against the speaker and his aide for committing an offence in the course of performing their duties.According to the judge, ‘it is not against the Lagos state government.
Justice Okeke said that were the charge against the LASG, the attorney general of the state would have been charged.Similarly, he noted that if the charge had been against the Lagos House of Assembly, the clerk of the House would have been charged.
Justice Okeke further said other issues raised by the defence counsel in the application to quash the charge can be brought up again in the course of the trial.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alleged that between April 2010 and July 2011, Ikuforiji and his aide, Atoyebi collected N503 million from the House of Assembly without going through any financial institution contrary to Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 16(3)(b) of the same Act.
On 30 January, 2012, the EFCC had tried to arraign Ikuforiji and his aide, Atoyebi before Justice James Tsoho who declined the trial on personal ground. He therefore struck out the matter.
When the case was re-opened before Justice Ikechucwu Okeke and the 20- count charge was read to them on 1 March this year, Ikuforiji and Atoyebi pleaded not guilty.
Counsel to Ikuforiji, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, leading others including Abiodun Omidare and Tunde Akinnimisi applied for bail for the accused persons on self recognition.
The presiding judge, Justice Ikechukwu Okeke admitted Ikuforiji to bail on self recognition while the clerk, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Segun Abiru was allowed to stand surety for the speaker’s aide, Atoyebi.
The case witnessed some adjournments until yesterday when Justice Okeke fixed the ruling for today on the application by the defence counsel that the matter be struck out.