N503m Scam: We’ll Appeal Lagos Speaker’s Acquittal – EFCC
Ikuforiji and Atoyebi have been standing trial on a 54-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N503 million since 2013.
In a statement by the agency’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, made available to Crimes Central Weekend in Abuja,the commission stated that it would explore the option of appeal to bring the accused persons to justice.
Justice Buba had ruled that the prosecution failed to prove its case against the accused persons, saying the trial was “anachronistic,” and that the prosecution “misconstrued and misinterpreted the Money Laundering Act”.
EFCC revealed that the lead defence counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), had prayed the court to discountenance the charges preferred against Ikuforiji, saying that, the Money Laundering Act 2004, with which the accused person was charged, have been repealed and replaced with the Money Laundering Act 2011, and so should not have been used in charging him while Atoyebi’s counsel, Tunde Akinbisi, aligned his submissions with the arguments of Olanipekun.
Justice Buba upheld Olanipekun’s submissions and ruled that “the first and second defendants are hereby discharged and acquitted” but the EFCC opposed the ruling saying, the learned judge erred in this ruling.
0 comments:
Post a Comment