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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday re-arraigned a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bello Adoke (SAN) before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, over alleged corruption and fraud charges.
When the case was called on Tuesday, the prosecution counsel, Bala Sanga applied to withdraw the amended charge filed on July 29 and prayed the court to replace it with another filed on August 3, adding that the latest charge have been served on the defendants.
Adoke and Abubakar’s lawyers, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN) and Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN) respectively, did not oppose the prosecution’s request which was subsequently granted by the court.
Although Olujimi had attempted to move an oral application challenging the jurisdiction of the judge to hear the matter being a vacation court, he however abandoned the move to allow the defendants to take their plea on the fresh charge.
In the amended charge, Adoke was accused of collecting the sum of N300 million from Alhaji Abubakar as alleged proceeds of unlawful activities in 2013, while in the same year, he was said to have collected another sum of $2.2 million from one Rislanudeen Muhammed.
He was also accused of disguising a sum of N300 million being proceeds of unlawful activities he accepted from the second defendant.
The federal government also alleged that Adoke illegally paid the sum of N50 million in 13 tranches and another N80 million in 22 tranches into his personal account with Unity Bank in contravention of the nation’s financial regulations.
In another count, Adoke was said to have paid the sum of N367 million, also in contravention of the financial regulations.
The former AGF was further accused of disguising the sources of the amounts deposited in his Unity Bank, an act contrary to the financial law.
On the other hand, the second defendant, Abubakar, was said to have in September 2013 received cash payment of $2 million and another $4 million from one Abdulkareem Mustapha, while in September and October same year, he was alleged to have collected another sum $84.7 million.
The prosecution also charge, the second defendant of receiving $3 million and concealing the source of same.
In another charge, the complainant was accused to have received $12 million being proceeds of alleged unlawful act.
Abubakar was also alleged to have made the sum of N300 million cash payment to Adoke in contravention of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011.
Following the defendants’ plea of not guilty, the trial judge, Justice Ekwo, ordered for expeditious trial and fixed August 11, 12 and 13 for hearing.
