Again, EFCC Arraigns Adoke Over Alleged Money Laundering

Mohammed Adoke, former Attorney General of the Federal (AGF) and Minister of Justice, was, on Monday, arraigned by the EFCC at the Federal High Court, Abuja on a six-count charge bordering on money laundering.

Adoke is being charged before Justice Binta Nyako alongside one Aliyu Abubakar.

Abubakar is being charged on a one-count charge of paying dollar equivalent of N300 million in Adoke’s account in September 2013 in violation of the Money Laundering Act.

After the duo pleaded not guilty to the charges, the EFCC counsel, Bala Sanga, urged the court to remand the defendants in the commission’s custody pending the hearing of the matter.

However, counsel to the defendants, Mike Ozekhome urged the judge to dismiss the anti-graft agency’s request and grant them bail.

Ozekhome appealed to the the court to grant bail to Adoke in liberal and affordable terms and conditions, saying that his client would prefer to be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre, instead of the custody of the EFCC.

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“The first defendant voluntarily returned to the country. There is his statement attached to show that he returned to the country voluntarily. He did not run away.

“We have attached an exhibit to show that he went for his Masters’ study abroad.

“We have deposed to the affidavit about his health conditions. The prosecution themselves brought him to court from the Federal Medical Centre near Jabib in Abuja, this morning.

“We also plead that he be taken to the Kuje Correction Centre, a euphemism for Kuje prison pending when he meets his bail conditions to avoid the mental psychological strictures he goes through in the custody of the EFCC.

“My lord we pray that he be granted bail in liberal and affordable terms and conditions so that he can take care of himself. The law says, ‘come and stand trial’, it did not say ‘come and sit trial or come and prostate trial. My lord as you can see, the first defendant who is less than 60 is already bent with age,” he said.

29th March 2024
Nigerian Pantagraph
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