EFCC secures warrant for the arrest of former NIA boss, wife

Justice Chukwujeku Aneke of Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of sacked Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayodele Oke, and his wife, Folashade.

Ruling on the application brought by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Prosecutor,  Rotimi Oyedepo,  Justice Aneke held: ” I have carefully considered the oral application for the arrest of the person mentioned herein and I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the said application is meritorious.

“Accordingly the application is hereby granted as prayed

“It is hereby ordered that Ambassador Ayedele Oke and wife Folasade Oke be arrested anywhere they are sighted in the world.”

The case is hereby adjourned to March 8, for the report of the arrest.

It would be recalled that at the last sitting on the matter, Oyedepo had urged Justice Aneke to reschedule the planned arraignment of the sacked DG of NIA and his wife, due to the failure of the anti-graft agency to produce the duo before the court.

The EFCC had instituted a four counts charge against Oke and Folashade.

ALSO READ: Court adjourns ex-AGF, Otunla’s arraignment till Feb 27 

Specifically, the EFCC had intended to arraign the defendants before the judge in connection with the sums of  $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 (totalling N13bn) removed by the EFCC from Flat 7B Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos linked to them.

Part of the charge reads: that you, Amb.  Ayodele Oke, Mrs. Folasade Ayodele Oke on or about the 12th day of April 2017 in Lagos concealed the sum of $43, 449, 947, 000 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria in Flat 7B, No. 16 Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi Lagos which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

Another charge reads: that you Amb. Ayodele Oke and Mrs. Folasade Ayodele Oke between 25th day of August 2015 and 2nd day of September 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court indirectly used the sum of $1, 658, 000 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to acquire Flat 7B, No. 16 Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi Lagos which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.