News
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday, arraigned
Nenadi Esther Usman, a former Minister of Finance and Director of
Finance PDP Presidential Campaign Organization in the last general
election; Femi Fani-Kayode also a former Minister and Director
Media/Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization; Danjuma
Yusuf and Jointrust Dimensions Nigeria Limited before Justice M. S.
Hassan of the Federal High Court Lagos, on a 17-count charge bordering
on conspiracy, stealing, corruption and making cash payments exceeding
the amount authorized by law.
The accused were alleged to have stolen and illegally disbursed about
N4.9 billion Naira belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria for
political and personal uses.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them.
Part
of the charge reads: “That you, NENADI ESTHER USMAN, FEMI FANI-KAYODE,
DANJUMA YUSUF and JOINTRUST DIMENTIONS NIGERIA LTD on or about the 8th
day of January, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court
conspired amongst yourselves to indirectly retain the sum of N1,500,
000,000.00 (One Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira) which sum you
reasonably ought to have known form part of the proceeds of an unlawful
act to wit: stealing, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to
Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act,
2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.
‘That you, NENADI ESTHER USMAN, DANJUMAN YUSUF AND JOINTRUST
DIMENTIONS NIGERIA LTD on or about the 9th day of January, 2015, within
the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly retained the sum of
N300,000,000.00 (Three Hundred Million Naira ) which sum you reasonably
ought to have known form part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to
wit: corruption, 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) & 4 of the same Act”..
In view of their plea, prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo asked that
trial commence immediately and that the case be given accelerated
hearing.
However, counsel to accused: Fred Orbih (SAN), Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN),
and S. I. Ameh (SAN) for first. Second and third accused respectively,
informed the court of their applications for bail. But Rotimi said he
needed time to respond to the applications and urged the court to remand
the defendants in prison custody pending the consideration of the bail
applications.
Justice Hassan ruled that, “since the prosecution
was only served bail application yesterday, and in the interest of
justice, it will be fair if the prosecution is given the opportunity to
respond”.
He, therefore, ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison
custody and adjourned to Friday, July 1, 2016 for hearing of bail
applications.
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