By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
Justice Muhammad Liman of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday fixed November 15, for the adoption of written addresses by parties in the trial of former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, over alleged N338.8 million money laundering.
The Judge adjourned for the adoption of written addresses after the defence counsel Mr Dele Adesina (SAN) tendered the Certified True Copy of court proceedings of 2014, which was before Justice Ibrahim Buba.
The matter which was scheduled to be heard on Monday, July 17 was stalled due to the absence of the EFCC prosecutor who was said to be in the Court of Appeal, Abuja division for another matter.
Although the defendants and their counsel were in court but the trial judge after conferring with the defence counsel, shifted the matter to Tuesday (today) for hearing.
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At the resumed hearing of the proceedings on Tuesday, July 18, the counsel, Deacon Dele Adesina (SAN) who announced appearance for defence, recalled as a witness (DW4), the former Chief Accountant of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Adewale Taiwo Olatunji to tender the Certified True Copy of the 2014 proceedings.
Mr Ekene Iheanacho appearing for the prosecution did not oppose tendering of the documents. The court also admitted as exhibits, Olatunji’s statement made during interrogation with the EFCC as well as record of proceedings before Justice Buba.
Olatunji who was subpoenaed by the court, had earlier testified as the second Prosecution Witness(PW2) in the trial.
Recall that at the last adjourned date on May 4, 2023, the former speaker during his examination-in-chief, had told the court that his trial was politically motivated.
Ikuforiji stated that the initial allegations made against him by the Commission was on fraud and misappropriation of funds, which the Commission later changed to money laundering.
He said, “My Lord sir, I am still surprised that EFCC will charge anybody for money laundering because the person collected from the money brought from bank to the treasury of the House of Assembly, which is an arm of government.
“It is a pity that I am standing trial today based on a faceless petition, that has no name or address of the writer, who alleged that I committed a fraud or misappropriated the sum of over N7 billion. But, politicians for what we are when you stepped on somebody’s toes, you’re bound to have many enemies.
“It is likely that I have a lot of enemies, and that is why we have this petition by an unknown writer. Who even knows if the petition is from an individual and not from the EFCC itself.”
Ikuforiji said that as a three term Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, if he had indeed committed such infraction, EFCC will not be the first to charge him, as members of the House would have dealt with him, by first impeaching him before handing him over to law enforcement agency.
Denying the allegation of money laundering, levelled against him, Ikuforiji said as the Head of the legislative arm of government, his role in any financial issue is to give final approval to memo put before him, after the Office of the Clerk and that of the Finance Department have done their work on it.
“I don’t handle cash, or disbursement of funds, it is the duty of the Office of the Clerk and the Finance Department to do that” he added.
When asked if the 2nd defendant, Oyebode Atoyebi, who was his personal assistant, did collect cash on his behalf, Ikuforiji said, “Atoyebi collected money or cash for the Office of the Speaker, who at that time had over 100 staff, and definitely not for the Speaker in person. Atoyebi can collect money for the running of the office of the Speaker and allowances of other Staff”
On the status of the employment of Oyebode Atoyebi, the former Speaker said Atoyebi being a staff of Lagos State Government was seconded to the office of the Speaker.
According to the charge, EFCC alleged that the defendants accepted cash payments above the threshold set by the Money Laundering Act, without going through a financial institution.
The Commission accused the defendants of conspiring to commit an illegal act of accepting cash payments in the aggregate sum of N338.8 million from the House of Assembly without going through a financial institution.
Ikuforiji was also accused of using his position to misappropriate funds belonging to the Assembly.
The EFCC said that the defendants committed the offences between April 2010 and July 2011.
The offences, according to the EFCC, contravenes the provisions of Sections 15 (1d), 16(1d) and 18 of Money Laundering Act, 2004 and 2011.