24th May, 2018
Photo; JohnMayaki.com
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
The Edo State chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih and a former governorship candidate of the party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, were Thursday remanded in the custody of the EFCC by the Federal High Court.
Also remanded were a former Deputy Governor, Mr, Lucky Imasuen, a former member of the House of Representatives, Tony Azegbemi and Efe Anthony.
Chief Lucky Imasuen, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was at the time the alleged offence was committed, a member of the PDP.
They are to remain in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), pending when they meet their applications for bail.
Ize-Iyamu and the others were arraigned by the EFCC on an 8-count charge of laundering the sum of N700 million.
The anti-graft agency stated that the defendants reasonably ought to have known that the money form part of proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: fraud and corruption; and “thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act 2011 as amended.”
The accused persons were granted bail in the sum of N10 million each and a surety in like sum who must be a civil servant on level 16.
Justice P. I. Adjokwu, who ordered that they be remanded after rejecting a plea by Counsel to Ize-Iyamu, Charles Edosomwan, said they shouldbe be kept in the custody of the EFCC.