The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Rilwan Aikawa

  • Judge’s absence stalls SAN’s, ex-minister’s trial for ‘money laundering’

    The absence of Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday stalled the trial of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mr Dele Belgore and a former National Planning Minister Prof Abubakar Suleiman for alleged money laundering.

    The judge had adjourned to hear an application by Belgore for the prosecution to produce additional statements he made that were not tendered in evidence.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused former Petroleum Resources Minister Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke (“at large”), Belgore and Suleiman of making cash payment of N10million to a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kwara State Dr Emmanuel Onucheyo, and N10million to a Commissioner of Police Garba Saliu.

    According to EFCC, they allegedly made the payments on March 27, 2015 without going through a financial institution.

    The sums, the commission said, exceeded the amount authorised by law and violated Section 1(a) and Section 16 (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act of 2012 and punishable under Section 16 (2) (b).

    Justice Aikawa had dismissed a no-case submission made by the defendants, holding that they were at liberty to enter their defence.

    Defence counsel Seni Adio (SAN) said he had a pending application dated January 16 in which Belgore is praying the court to order the EFCC to produce all the statements he made.

    But prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo argued that the prosecution tendered all the statements Belgore made and had closed its case.

    Adio, however, insisted that the additional statements were tendered and were needed to enable Belgore defend himself.

    Justice Aikawa then directed Oyedepo to file a formal objection to the application to produce the additional statements.

    The application will be heard on Thursday.

  • Fani-Kayode to court: I have a heart ailment

    Fani-Kayode to court: I have a heart ailment

     

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday heard that former former Minister of Aviation Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has a heart-related ailment.

    His lawyer Mr Norrison Quakers (SAN) told Justice Rilwan Aikawa that the former minister complained about “heart-related pain” and could not make it to court for his trial.

    His absence stalled his trial for alleged money laundering.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) re-arraigned Fani-Kayode and former finance minister (state) Senator Nenadi Usman for alleged N4.6billion laundering and fraud.

    They were arraigned along with a former National Chairman of the Association of Local Governments in Nigeria ( ALGON ) Yusuf Danjuma, and a company, Jointrust Dimensions Ltd.

    When the case was called, only Usman and Danjuma stepped into the dock.

    Before lawyers announced their appearances, Justice Rilwan asked why Fani-Kayode was not present.

    Quakers spoke up, saying: “I was going to inform My Lord that the second defendant is indisposed. I got a call from his wife who said he was complaining of heart-related pain.”

    Quakers said he expected to get a medical report on his client’s health condition before the close of work.

    According to him, the issue of health could not be taken lightly considering several cases of sudden deaths, including that of a lawyer who collapsed and died in a courtroom while addressing a judge.

    After formerly appearance, Quakers asked that the dates reserved for trial (yesterday and today) be vacated. 

    He said: “The second defendant is unavoidably absent as a result of health challenge, which information was related to me by the wife. I’ve requested for a medical report.

    “If I get the report, I’ll furnish the court with it. I apply that tomorrow’s (today’s) date be vacated so that we can have another date for continuation of trial.”

    EFCC’s lawyer Rotimi Oyedepo did not oppose the application.

    The defendants were accused of indirectly retaining N1.billion, N300million, N400million and N800million, all proceeds of corruption, according to EFCC.

    The prosecution said they allegedly committed the offence between January 8 and March 25, 2015 ahead of the general election.

    Fani-Kayode was also accused of doing cash transaction of N24million with Olubode Oke without going through a financial institution.

    The offence, EFCC said, violates sections 1(a) and 16(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 16(2)(b).

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Justice Aikawa adjourned till February 28, March 1 and 2 for continuation of trial.

  • Court dismisses Diezani’s bid for trial in Nigeria

    Court dismisses Diezani’s bid for trial in Nigeria

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday dismissed an application by former Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke seeking to be tried in Nigeria.
    Ruling on the application, Justice Rilwan Aikawa said it was misconceived.
    He agreed with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) that the application was a bid by the former Minister to escape justice in the United Kingdom.
    Justice Aikawa said the Attorney-General of the Federation has the exclusive right to decide who to bring a charge against.
    “Why did she wait all this while before she came up with this bizarre application?
    “I find this application as lacking in merit and it is hereby dismissed,” the judge held.
    He added that he would not allow his court to be misused, adding that Mrs Alison-Madueke “was crying wolf where there was none”.
    The EFCC urged Court not to order Mrs Alison-Madueke from the United Kingdom to Nigeria.
    The anti-graft agency described Diezani’s prayer to be brought back to Nigeria as a ploy to escape justice in the UK, where, according to the EFCC, she is being investigated for several financial crimes by the Metropolitan Police.
    According to the EFCC, investigation by the Metropolitan Police in Diezani’s case had reached an advanced stage and her prosecution in the UK was imminent.
    It, therefore, said it would not be in the interest of justice to grant Diezani’s application seeking to return to Nigeria.
    The EFCC said this in a counter-affidavit it filed in opposition to Diezani’s application before Justice Rilwan Aikawa, wherein she is seeking an order compelling the Attorney General of the Federation to facilitate her return to Nigeria.
    In the said application, which she filed through her lawyer, Mr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, Diezani said she wished to appear before the Federal High Court in Lagos to defend a criminal charge, bordering on alleged laundering of N450m, where her name was mentioned.
  • Man jailed five years for selling cocaine

    Man jailed five years for selling cocaine

    A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday, sentenced one Micheal Adebowale, to five years imprisonment for selling cocaine.

    Adebowale was charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on a one-count charge bordering on drug trafficking.

    In the charge, the convict was said to have been arrested on July 6, at Oniru in Lekki Lagos, where he engaged in the sale and distribution of cocaine.

    Adebowale pleaded guilty to the charge.

    The prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, said that following a tip off, the convict was arrested; adding that 0.7g of cocaine was recovered from him.

    Aernan tendered a written statement of the convict, a request for scientific aid form and a drug analysis form as evidence before the court.

    He also tendered the remnant of the narcotic substances that the convict unlawfully trafficked.

    The pieces of evidence were admitted by the court and marked as exhibits.

    The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 11 of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

    He then urged the court to convict the accused accordingly.

    In his judgment, Justice Rilwan Aikawa found Adebowale guilty of the offence as charged and sentenced him to five years imprisonment, saying that the sentence should begin from the date of the arrest.

    Shortly before the sentence, the convict had pleaded for leniency, claiming to be a first offender and prayed the court to give him second chance and promised to be a changed person.