By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a charge at the Federal High Court Lagos, Nigeria against the incumbent President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA),and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Paul Usoro, over money laundering to the tune of N1.4 billion.
The money is said to belong to Akwa Ibom State government.
TheNiche gathered that Usoro will be arraigned on a 10 count charge bordering on the alleged fraud before Justice Muslim Sule Hassan on Monday, December 10.
In the charge No FHC/418c/18, filed on Wednesday afternoon, Usoro (SAN) was accused of diverting the said sum for personal use. The anti-graft agency maintained that Usoro converted and laundered the money in connivance with the state governor, Udom Emmanuel.
However, governor Emmanuel was not listed as a defendant in the charge on the grounds that he is “currently constitutionally immuned against criminal prosecution”.
Aside the NBA President, others mentioned in the charge are the Akwa Ibom state Commissioner for Finance, Nsikan Nkan, the Accountant General, Mfon Udomah, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Uwemedimo Nwoko, and one Margaret Ukpe, all of whom were said to be at large.
According to the EFCC, the NBA chief while conniving with the mentioned defendants, conspired among themselves to commit the alleged offence sometime in 2015 “within the jurisdiction of this honourable court”.
Counsel to the EFCC and prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo who signed the charge, contends that the alleged offence committed by the NBA President is contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
Oyedepo further posited that Usoro is liable and to be punished under Section 15(3) of the same Act if found guilty.