The immediate past Commissioner for Finance in Kwara State, Mr Ademola Banu, has been remanded in prison by a Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin on charges bordering on money laundering.
The Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ilorin Zonal Office arraigned Banu alongside Travel Messenger Company Limited and one Olarewaju Adeniyi on a nine count charge before Justice Babangana Ashigar.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants conspired among themselves to launder the sum of about N411,000,000 belonging to the Kwara State government.
Count one of the charge read: “That you, Olarewaju Adeniyi, Ademola Banu and Travel Messenger Limited between January to December 2018 in Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court conspired among yourselves to commit an offence, to with: conversion of the sum of #411,000,000.00 ( four hundred and eleven million naira) only property of Kwara State Government, which sum you reasonably ought to know was derived from fraud, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(a) of the money laundering (prohibition) (amendment) act, 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) and (4) of the same act.”
The accused person pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
Addressing the court, counsel to the EFCC, Nnaemeka Omewa, said following the plea of the defendants, the court should obliged the prosecution team a trial date to enable proof of the case. He further urged the court to remand the defendants in a correctional facility pending the hearing and determination of this case.
Defence counsel, Gboyega Oyewole and Bamidele Ibironke, however prayed Justice Ashigar to grant bail to their clients, arguing that the offences are bailable.
Opposing the bail applications, the prosecution counsel filed a counter affidavit and urged the judge not to accede to the request.
Justice Ashigar adjourned the ruling of the application till February 10, 2020 and ordered the defendants to be remanded in EFCC custody.
I am impressed with this web site, real I am a fan.