Court Acquits Ikuforiji

Court Acquits Ikuforiji

Friday, September 26, 2014 1:19 pm


Akin Kuponiyi

A federal high court sitting in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, Friday morning discharged and acquitted the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, and his aide Atoyebi Oyebode of money laundering charges.

The presiding Judge, Ibrahim Buba, in his ruling did not only declare all the actions of the speaker and his aide lawful but also declared that they have not committed any money laundering ofence.

The Speaker and his aide were first arraigned before Justice James Tsoho on 15 December, 2011 for allegedly making finacial transaction above the threshold of N500 million without going through financial institution.

The two of them pleaded not guilty. Thereafter they were admitted to bail.

•Speaker Ikuforiji: Acquitted

•Speaker Ikuforiji: Acquitted


The case file was later transferred to the Chief Judge who reassigned the case to Justice Okechukwu Okeke.

Ikuforiji and his aide were later re-arraigned.

The case was again reassigned to Justice Ibrahim Buba when Justice Okeke retired and they were later re-arraigned before Justice Buba on 24 December, 2012.

In prosecuting the case the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, prosecuting counsel, Chief Godwin Obla (SAN) listed seven witnesses but called only two witnesses while he tendered eight exhibits and closed his case on 28 June, 2014.

Thereafter, Chief Wole Olanipekun, leading two senior lawyers, Tunde Akinrimisi, Abiodun Onidare and nine others, filed a no case submission.

In his argument, Olanipekun told the court that Lagos State House of Assembly is self accounting and all the money disbursed were approved and were disbursed accordingly for what they were meant.


More importantly, he further argued, the monies were withdrawn from banks which are financial institutions. Therefore, it was wrong for anybody to claim that the transactions were not done through financial institution.

Olanipekun further argued that the trial was nothing but persecution as the Speaker and his aide were charged under Money Laundering Act of 2004 that had been repealed, for offence alleged to have been committed in 2011.

He said the money that was disbursed was not an illicit money derived from drug business, kidnapping, or other illegal source as envisaged by the Money Laundering Act.

Olanipekun, therefore urged the court to discharge and acquit the Speaker and his aide.

However, Chief Obla urged the court to convict the Speaker and his aide because what they were charged with, was transacting financial business above a legal threshold without going through financial institution.

In his ruling that lasted for about one hour and half hourthirteen minutes, Justice Buba, while citing a plethora authorities, said he had no difficulty in discharging and acquitting the Speaker and his aide on the ground that the Speaker and his aide were arraigned before the court based on an anonymous and spurious petition.

Justice Buba also said the petitioner, Comrade Eleya Olotu, did not make any statement neither was he called as a witness.


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