EFCC arraigns former AGF, Adoke

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, arraigned the former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), on a seven-count charge bordering on bribe-taking, money laundering and breach of public office, among others.

Adoke was arraigned along with a businessman, Aliyu Abubakar, who was accused of paying the sum of N300 million bribe to Adoke in respect of the Malabu Oil deal.

Adoke’s codefendant is facing only one count charge of allegedly offering bribe to the former AGF.

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Adoke was accused in count one of accepting as payment the sum of United States Dollars equivalent to N300 million from Abubakar Aliyu in September 2013 in Abuja, thereby violating the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 (as amended).

Count seven reads: “That you Aliyu Abubakar, sometime in September 2013, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, made a payment of the sum of United States Dollars equivalent to N300 million to Mohammed Bello Adoke and you thereby committed an offence as specified under section 1(a) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 16 (2)(b) of the same Act.”

Adoke and his co-defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges slammed against them and Adoke’s team of lawyers, led by Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), moved an application for the bail of the former AGF.

After taking arguments from counsel on the bail application for the defendants, the trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, slated 2 pm to rule on the bail application.

Details later …