The embattled
Lagos State House of Assembly speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji who’s been running
from pillar to post since an alleged money laundering and fraud case has been
instituted against him by Nigeria’s anti-graft police, EFCC, the troubled
politician according to impeccable sources has again been fingered in a fresh
fraud. Our high profile source revealed that, Adeyemi Sabitun Ikuforiji has
been fingered in another fraud of diverting over N300 million tax payers money
through frivolous seminars for local government chairmen and councilors.
Enquirer squealed that just as efforts are being made to get Ikuforiji out of
the web of criminal trial, the embattled speaker has again been fingered in a
fresh N300 million scam. It was authoritatively disclosed that the Speaker had
appointed an ex Commissioner in Lagos, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi as a
consultant to organise seminars for councillors and chairmen of the 57 local
government councils in the state to be held in Lagos and Accra, Ghana. The
seminar for the councilors, according to a source at the Lagos State House of
Assembly, had been held in Lagos about two weeks ago while the one for the
chairmen is currently going on in Accra Ghana. The Speaker, we learnt took over
N300 million for the two seminars, a venture that should not cost tax payers
more than N20 million. Quoting the source “the seminars are pure waste of Lagos
State money, what he’s using our money to organise is not even the
responsibility of the state house of assembly”. The source further divulged
that it was the sole responsibility of the state local government service
commission or the ministry of local government. “Please we need the public to
know what we are seeing here, “It is really annoying and fraudulent” she added.
The source also revealed that already two lawmakers have vowed to report the
latest scam to the EFCC. In another twist, there are indications that Mr
Ikuforiji has begun a structured payment of an alleged bribe of $1 million USD
to Justice Okechukwu Okeke of the federal high court, Lagos where the EFCC
recently re-arraigned him and his Personal Assistant, Oyebode Atoyebi for
stealing public funds totaling over N273 million and laundering same through
their bank accounts. The first installment of the bribe money, $500,000 was
allegedly paid by Ikuforiji to Okeke at a location in Ikoyi last week after a
prominent former governor of Lagos brokered a meeting between the embattled
speaker and the trial judge on Bourdillion road, Ikoyi penultimate Saturday.
The meeting, we also gathered had dragged on into the wee hours of Sunday
during which our source revealed that Justice Okeke almost emptied a full
bottle Moet Rose champagne. The judge was said to have struck an agreement with
the accused to fast track the case and dismiss it for lack of sufficient
evidence to warrant conviction. It is after delivering the final ruling that
he’s to take delivery of the final installment of $500,000. It would be
recalled that the speaker was recently arraigned for alleged money laundering
before a Federal High Court in Lagos by the EFCC. The Speaker and his Personal
Assistant, Mr. Oyebode Atoyebi, were arraigned on an amended 20-count charge
before Justice Okechukwu Okeke, and as expected they’ve pleaded not guilty and
were granted bail. While Ikuforiji got bail on self recognition, the Clerk of
the Lagos Assembly, Mr Segun Habiru, stood as surety for Atoyebi. EFCC’s lawyer
Godwin Obla informed the court of the existence of a charge against the accused
persons and requested that it should be read to them. The defence team, led by
Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), did not object to the request. The charge was read to the
accused and they pleaded not guilty. After the arraignment, Oyetibo urged the
court to grant bail to the accused persons on self recognition, the Speaker
being the third citizen of the state. Obla did not oppose the bail application,
but urged the court to attach conditions to Atoyebi’s bail. Justice Okeke
granted bail to Ikuforiji on self recognition and directed that someone stands
as surety for Atoyebi. Trial has been slated to start on March 26th,
2012. Ikuforiji and Atoyebi are being accused of accepting payments, amounting
to N273,303,780 from the Assembly without going through a financial
institution, an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 16 (2) (b)
and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011. The offence was
allegedly committed between April 2010 and July 2011.
No comments:
Post a Comment