N25bn Fraud: Igbinedion, Others will know fate January 30 - EFCC

 

Find the EFCC press release below.... 

Federal High Court sitting in Benin, Edo State yesterday reserved ruling in the N25billion money laundering 

and abuse of office charge brought against Micheal Igbinedion and Charles Eboigbodin by the Economic 

and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for January 30, 2015.

Justice J. Liman on Friday November 14, 2014, fixed the January 30 date for judgement after the adoption 

of written addresses by counsel: Rotimi Jacob SAN for the prosecution and Mike Ozekhome SAN, Ricky 

Tafa SAN and Barr. Richard O. Ahonaruogo for the accused persons

  The accused persons along with their companies: Gava Corporation Limited; Romrig Nigeria Limited; PML 

Securities Company Limited and PML Nigeria Limited, were arraigned by the anti- graft agency on a 81-count 

charge bothering on Money Laundering, Misappropriation of funds, conspiracy and Abuse of office.

While addressing the court, Jacobs hinged his submission on the testimonies of prosecution witnesses which, 

according to him, corroborated the charge, with emphasis on the several public funds deposited into private

 accounts, and how government funds were used to repay loans collected by former governor Lucky Igbinedion 

while he was in office. 

Jacobs then prayed the court to "accept the prosecution’s case as presented and convict the accused persons

 as charged".
But before closing his address, the prosecuting counsel called the attention of the court to the inability of the

 bailiff to serve the summon earlier issued by it on the former Edo State governor, who failed to present himself in 

court, after the Appeal Court decision in April, asking him to return to the High Court for trial.
Jacobs disclosed that all efforts by the bailiff to serve Lucky Igbinedion with the summon, met a brick wall as

  he was always turned back from the gate by security men who told him on all occasions that Igbinedion was out

 of town.

The EFCC counsel then prayed the court to permit a substituted service of the summon on the last known address

 of Igbinedion.
"May I apply that the first accused person be served by allowing the prosecution paste the notice at the known

 address,” he said.

But Justice Liman advised the prosecuting counsel to make an application. According to him, "the summon has

 expired, you can reapply or ask for a substituted service as there are other means of service. Prosecution must

 make another application."

Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
14th November, 2014