By Akin Kuponiyi
The re- trial of the former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, and his aide, Oyebode Atoyebi, charged with 54 counts of N338.8 million money laundering continued today, 25 November, at the Federal high court in Lagos south west Nigeria.
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) prosecutor, Mr Ekene Ihenacho, appeared for the prosecution while Mr Dele Adesina SAN, leading four other lawyers, appeared for the defendants.
In today’s proceedings, lhenacho continued with his first witness, Mr Adebayo Adeniyi, an investigator with the EFCC.
Adeniyi (while being led in evidence by Ihenacho) told the court that some cash account registers of some banks which had been admitted in exhibit were recovered from the Lagos State House of Assembly. They showed that the second defendant, Oyebode Atoyebi, collected money several times above financial threshold without going through any financial institution
However, under cross examination, by the defence counsel Adesina, the witness told the court that the former speaker did not collect cash directly from the Treasury Department of the house, but admitted that all the money collected by Oyebode was by his approval.
By oral application, Adesina asked for an adjournment till a later date for him to continue his cross examination.
Thereafter the presiding Judge, Mohammed Liman, adjourned till 9 December.
The former Speaker and his aide were first arraigned on 1 March, 2012 before Justice Okechukwu Okeke on a 20-count of misappropriation of funds and money laundering. The charges have been increased from 20 to 54.