Ex-FCT minister’s son remanded in prison over alleged N1.1bn fraud

Shamsudeen Bala, the son of the former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Mohammed Bala, has been kept back in Kuje Prison by the Abuja Federal High Court over alleged N1.1billion fraud leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court which sat on Wednesday and presided over by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba ordered that he be remanded in prison till Friday when the court will deliver ruling on the defendant’s bail application.

EFCC had on December 2, 2016 filed a 15-count charge involving alleged N1.1billion fraud against the former minister’s son.

He was charged along with four other companies which are Bird Trust Argo Limited, Diakin Telecommunications Limited, Intertrans Global Logistics Limited and Bal-Vac Mining Nigeria Limited.

When the charges were read to him on Wednesday, Shamsudeen Bala pleaded not guilty to all of them. He also pleaded not guilty to all the counts on behalf of the companies involved in the case.

In the case which involved the sum of N1, 105,719,005, the EFCC is accusing the defendants of money laundering and falsification of assets.

The anti-graft agency is also alleging that the former minister’s son carried out business transactions amounting to billions of naira in violation of Money Laundering Act. It added that he paid various cash sums of money above the limit set by the Money Laundering Act for purchase of properties without going through a financial institution.

EFCC further accused him of not declaring his assets when he completed the EFCC Asset Declaration Form A and that he concealed four of his accounts domiciled at Standard Chartered Bank.

Read also: Justice Ademola denied me bail for not paying N25m bribe – Witness

The commission gave the account numbers as 0001857597, 5001214708, 0000895037 and 000895020.

The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Ben Ikani, had immediately on arraignment of the accused, applied that he be remand in prison and prayed the court to adjourn for commencement of trial.

However, defence lawyer, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), opposing Ikani’s application, told the court that he had on January 27 filed an application for Bala’s bail.

The trial judge meanwhile ruled that he be remanded in Kuje Prison till Friday.

Recall that the EFCC had on Tuesday, December 13, 2016, dropped a five-count charge against the former FCT minister, whose son it now prosecutes.

By Ebere Ndukwu …

 

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