Justices Adeniyi Ademola and Evoh Chukwu of the Federal High Court,
Abuja, on Wednesday ordered that former governors Ikedi Ohakim (Imo) and
Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) and three others should be remanded in the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) custody following their
arraignment in court.
While Ohakim was arraigned separately on a three-count charge before
Justice Ademola, Nyako, his son, who is a serving Senator, Abdul-Aziz,
and two of their aides – Abubakar Aliyu and Zulkifikk Abba were
arraigned before Justice Chukwu on a 37-count charge.
The charges against them border on corruption, abuse of office and money laundering.
Ohakim, who was arrested by operatives of the EFCC on Tuesday, is
being prosecuted for allegedly making a cash payment to the tune of $2,
290,000.00 ( about N270,000,000.00) for the purchase of a property at
Plot No. 1098 Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, otherwise known as
No.60, Kwame Nkurumah Street, Asokoro, Abuja.
The EFCC believed the amount is above the threshold approved for an
individual going by the provisions of Section 1 of the Money Laundering
(Prohibition) Act 2004. He was also accused of deliberately neglecting to disclose all his
assets in the declaration submitted to the EFCC and the Code of Conduct
Bureau.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Ikedi Ohakim, on or about the
26th of January, 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Federal
High Court, while under arrest for an offence under the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act, 2004 knowingly failed to
make a full disclosure of your assets by not declaring your ownership of
the property known and described as Plot No. 1098 Cadastral Zone A04,
Asokoro District- it is also known as No.60, Kwame Nkurumah Street,
Asokoro, Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section
27(3)(c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment
Act, 2004 and punishable under the same section.”
Ohakim pleaded not guilty to the charge, following which the
prosecution lawyer, Festus Keyamo, sought a date for the commencement of
trial.
He also asked that Ohakim be remanded in prison custody pending the trial date.
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