Connect with us

Metro

EFCC re-arraigns Atiku’s son-in-law for laundering $140,000

Published

on

Auto dealer arraigned for laundering N207m

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) re-arraigned one Abdullahi Babalele before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on a two-count charge of money laundering to the tune of $140,000.00.

Babalele, a son-in-law to a former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, allegedly persuaded one Bashir Mohammed, a Bureau De Change( BDC) operator, to make a cash payment of $140,000 without going through any financial institution, an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Abdullahi Babalele, on or about the 20th day of February, 2019 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, procured Basir Mohammed to make a cash payment of the sum of $140,000.00 without going through a financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorized by the Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(C) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.”

A statement issued by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.

Following the plea, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court of the existing bail earlier granted the defendant and applied for the commencement of the trial.

“My Lord, one of our witnesses is present in court,” Oyedepo said.

Counsel to the defendant, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), informed the court about an application before the court for the release of the international passport of the defendant.

The defendant’s counsel also told the court that he had attached some medical reports showing that the defendant is ill and that “he will need to undergo treatment abroad.

“ My Lord, the health issues are life-threatening,” he said.

Ozekhome, therefore, urged the court to grant the application and allow the defendant to travel abroad for three weeks.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

1 × three =