Court adjourns money laundering trial of ex-Lagos Speaker Ikuforiji

 Court adjourns money laundering trial of ex-Lagos Speaker Ikuforiji

Modupe Shodeinde

A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday adjourned the trial of a former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, for N338.8 million money laundering.

Ikuforiji was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside his former Personal Assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi, on a 54-count charge.

They had pleaded not guilty before Justice Mohammed Liman, and were allowed to continue on bail granted them in 2012 when they were first arraigned.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the trial of the defendants, earlier scheduled to continue yesterday, was stalled as the trial judge was said to be indisposed.

A new date will be communicated to parties in the suit.

At the last adjourned date, on March 17, the EFCC closed its case after calling its second witness, Mr. Adewale Olatunji, a former Clerk of the House.

Olatunji was led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Mr. Ekele Iheanacho, while he was cross-examined by defence counsel Mr. Dele Adesina (SAN).

Liman is, however, presiding over Ikuforiji’s trial on administrative fiat.

NAN also reports that the defendants were first arraigned on March 1, 2012, before Justice Okechukwu Okeke on a 20-count charge bordering on fund misappropriation and money laundering.

They pleaded not guilty and were granted bail.

The defendants were subsequently re-arraigned before Justice Ibrahim Buba, following re-assignment of the case.

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Buba granted them bail in the sum of N500 million each, with sureties in like sum

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