Money laundering: Ikuforiji, aide approach S/Court to stop retrial

Embattled former Speaker of  Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has filed a notice of appeal at the Supreme Court seeking to overturn a decision of an Appeal Court that ordered his retrial and that of his personal aide, Olabode Atoyebi, over money laundering allegations.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),had appealed the judgement of  Justice Ibrahim Buba of  a Federal High Court, who dismissed the charges levelled against Ikuforiji and Atoyebi.

In the notice of appeal filed before  the Lagos division of Appeal Court, both the former speaker and his personal assistant, through their lawyer, Mr Abiodun Onidare, separately, asked the apex court to set aside the whole ruling of the Appeal Court.

In the said notice of appeal, the appellants described the Appeal Court’s decisions as unreasonable, unwarranted and cannot be supported having regards to the evidence and materials on record.

Consequently, the appellants are urging the Supreme Court, to uphold their no case submissions as upheld by Justice Buba,on September 26, 2014, and dismiss the Appeal Court’s decision.

The appellants further stated in the notice of appeal that, more grounds of appeal will be filed upon the receipt of the certified true copy of the judgement appealed against.

It will be recalled that the Lagos division of Court of Appeal, had set aside the ruling of Justice  Buba,which discharged  Ikuforiji and his personal assistant,  of a 56- count charge of conspiracy and laundering the sum of N500 million belonging to the assembly, an offence, which according to  EFCC, contravened sections 15 (1d) and 16(1d) of Money Laundry Act, MLA, 2004 and 2011.

The appellate court in a unanimous judgment set aside the verdict  Justice  Buba, holding that EFCC had made out a prima facie case against the former speaker and his personal assistant to require them  to enter a defence to the charge brought against them.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Biobela Georgewill,the appellate court also ordered that trial should start trial ‘de novo’ (afresh), before another judge of the Federal High Court, Lagos other than Justice Buba.