The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday re-arraigned Senate President Bukola Saraki’s Deputy Chief of Staff Gbenga Makanjuola and two others before Justice Maureen Onyetenu of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
It accused the defendants of allegedly converting N3.5billion of N19billion London-Paris Club refund to states.
The defendants were accused of conspiring to disguise the unlawful origin of N3.5billion paid into the account of Melrose General Services Limited.
The company, along with its operations manager Obiora Amobi and a cashier in the Senate President’s Office Kolawole Shittu, were re-arraigned on an 11-count charge of money laundering.
They were first arraigned before Justice Babs Kuewumi, but the judge was transferred to Sokoto Division.
Justice Oyetenu was transferred from Osogbo, Osun State capital, to Lagos to replace him.
While sitting in Osogbo Division, Justice Oyetenu made news when she sentenced a former lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Prof. Richard Iyiola Akindele, to two years imprisonment for demanding sex to pass one of his students, Monica Osagie.
EFCC, which first arraigned Saraki’s aides last October 7, alleged that Melrose General Services and Robert Mbonu, said to be at large, between December 14, 2016 and last January “took control” of the money transferred from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) account to Melrose’s Access Bank account numbered 0005892453.
Makanjuola was accused of making a cash payment of N50million to Mbonu on December 20, 2016 without going through a financial institution.
EFCC said Melrose was paid N3.5billion by the NGF on December 14, 2016, and that it moved out about N2.2billion of the N3.5billion, the balance of which the commission had prayed the court to order its forfeiture.
The defendants pleaded not guilty.
Justice Onyetenu allowed them to continue on the bail granted them by Justice Kuewumi and adjourned until May 20, 21 and 22 for trial.