Femi Fani-Kayode

The arraignment of the former finance minister Nnenadi Esther Usman, the former Aviation minister Femi Fani Kayode and two others- Danjuma Yusuf  and Jointrust Dimention Nigeria Limited was on Tuesday stalled at  the Federal High Court Lagos due to  the absence of the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Hassan.

The Judge was said to be attending a workshop.

This is the second time the case will be adjourned.

The ex minister and his co accused were supposed to be arraigned last week.

But the arraignment was adjourned to today because of the absence of the Judge.

No new date has been fixed for the arraignment as at the time of writing this story.

It would be recalled that Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC had filed 17 count criminal charge against the accused persons thus:

COUNT ONE
That you, NNENADI ESTHER USMAN, FEMI FANI-KAYODE, DANJUMAN YUSUF AND JOINTRUST DIMENTIONS NIGERIA LTD on or about the 8th day of January, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to indirectly retain the sum of N1,500, 000,000.00 (One Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.

COUNT TWO
That you, NNENADI ESTHER USMAN, DANJUMAN YUSUF AND JOINTRUST DIMENTIONS NIGERIA LTD on or about the 9th day of January, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in Nigeria indirectly retained the sum of N300,000,000.00 (Three Hundred Million Naira ) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: corruption, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.

COUNT THREE
That you, NNENADI ESTHER USMAN, DANJUMAN YUSUF AND JOINTRUST DIMENTIONS NIGERIA LTD on or about the 13th day of January, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in Nigeria indirectly retained the sum of N400,000,000.00 (Four Hundred Million Naira ) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: corruption, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.

COUNT FOUR
That you, NNENADI ESTHER USMAN, DANJUMAN YUSUF AND JOINTRUST DIMENTIONS NIGERIA LTD on or about the 16th day of January, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in Nigeria indirectly retained the sum of N800,000,000.00 (Eight Hundred Million Naira ) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: corruption, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.

COUNT FIVE
That you, FEMI FANI-KAYODE on or about the 2nd February, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in Nigeria directly retained the sum of N350,000,000.00 (Three Hundred and Fifty Million Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.

COUNT SIX
That you, FEMI FANI-KAYODE on or about the 19th day of February, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in Nigeria directly retained the sum of N250,000,000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Million Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.

COUNT SEVEN
That you, FEMI FANI-KAYODE on or about the 19th day of March, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in Nigeria directly retained the sum of N240,000,000.00 (Two Hundred and Forty Million Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.

COUNT EIGHT
That you, FEMI FANI-KAYODE on or about the 3rd day of February, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in Nigeria directly used the sum of N60,000,000.00 (Sixty  Million Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: corruption, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.

COUNT NINE
That you, FEMI FANI-KAYODE on or about the 4th day of February, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in Nigeria directly used the sum of N170,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Seventy  Million Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: corruption, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.

COUNT TEN
That you, FEMI FANI-KAYODE on or about the 5th day of February, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in Nigeria directly used the sum of N40,000,000.00 (Forty Million Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: corruption, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.

COUNT ELEVEN
That you, FEMI FANI-KAYODE on or about the 9th day of February, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in Nigeria directly used the sum of N60,000,000.00 (Sixty Million Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: corruption, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.

COUNT TWELVE
That you, FEMI FANI-KAYODE between the 20th day of February and the 10th day of March, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in Nigeria directly used the sum of N200,000,000.00 (Two Hundred Million Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: corruption, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.

COUNT THIRTEEN
That you, FEMI FANI-KAYODE between the 20th and 25th day of March, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in Nigeria directly used the sum of N250,650,000.00 (Two Hundred Fifty Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: corruption, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.

COUNT FOURTEEN
That you, FEMI FANI-KAYODE between the 20th and 25th day of March, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court in Nigeria directly used the sum of N250,650,000.00 (Two Hundred Fifty Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: corruption, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) & 4 of the same Act.

COUNT FIFTEEN
That you, FEMI FANI-KAYODE AND OLUBODE OKE (STILL AT LARGE) on or about the 6th day of February,2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: making cash payments exceeding the amount authorized by Law without going through financial institution and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

COUNT SIXTEEN
That you, FEMI FANI-KAYODE AND OLUBODE OKE (STILL AT LARGE) on or about the 12th day of February,2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without going through a financial institution made cash payment in the sum of N24,000,000. 000 (Twenty Four Million Naira) to Paste Poster Co (PPC) of 125, Lewis Street, Lagos Island, Lagos which sum exceeded the amount authorized by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(a), Section 16(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

COUNT SEVENTEEN
That you, FEMI FANI-KAYODE AND OLUBODE OKE (STILL AT LARGE) on or about the 12th day of February,2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without going through a financial institution made cash payment in the sum of N6,000,000. 000 (Six Million Naira) to Paste Poster Co (PPC) of 125, Lewis Street, Lagos Island, Lagos which sum exceeded the amount authorized by Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(a), Section 16(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 16(2)(b) of  the same.
The author of this story Akin Kuponiyi can be reached at [email protected]