EFCC re-arraigns Atiku’s son-in-law

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday re-arraigned the son-in-law to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Abdullahi Babalele, over alleged money laundering charges.

Re-arraignment of Mr Babalele followed re-assignment of the case to a new judge, Chukwujekwu Aneke.

The defendant was first arraigned on August 14, during the court’s vacation before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, who sat as a vacation judge.

As when he was first arraigned, he also pleaded not guilty to the charge and Justice Aneke granted his request to continue on the earlier bail conditions granted him by Justice Oweibo.

Justice Oweibo had granted the defendant bail in the sum of N20 million with one surety in like sum.

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After his re-arraignment on Tuesday, Mr Babalele applied to the court for a release of his international passport to enable him to travel abroad for medical treatment.

But the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, opposed the application arguing that there was no proof his condition can not be treated in Nigeria.

However Justice Aneke of Lagos Federal High Court adjourned until October 11 for ruling on the application.  The EFCC accused Mr Babalele of allegedly laundering about the US $140,000, which offence the defendant allegedly committed on February 20, 2019.

In the charge, EFCC accused the defendant of “procuring one Mohammed to make a cash payment of the sum of 140,000 dollars, without going through any financial institution.”

The prosecution said the money exceeded the threshold stipulated by the Money laundering Act. The offences contravene the provisions of Section 16(2) and 18 (c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.